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PATNA: The Muzaffarpur police on Sunday arrested eight persons, including Brajesh Kumar, head of an NGO running a government-owned children’s home for girls for alleged sexual exploitation of the inmates. The arrested persons, including seven women, were later sent to jail.

Muzaffarpur SSP Harpreet Kaur said statements of 30 girls of the children’s home had been recorded.

An FIR had been lodged against the NGO with the Women’s police station in Muzaffarpur on May 31 after the matter came to light through an audit report of the Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). The children’s home, located on Sahu Road, was run by the Seva Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti with which the state government had entered into a contract for running the home for girls rescued from traffickers.

“One of the differently-abled girls told police that Brajesh used to sexually exploit her,” Kaur said, adding the girl narrated her ordeals after she was shown a photograph of Brajesh.

“Another girl told police that Kiran Devi , a maid employed by the NGO, also used to sexually exploit her,” Kaur said, adding Kiran is a resident of Chakna under Saraiyya police station area in Muzaffarpur.

“Apart from Brajesh and Kiran, the other arrested persons have been identified as Chanda Devi, Neha Kumari, Manju Devi, Indu Kumari, Hema Masih and Meenu Devi ,” Kaur said, adding all the arrested persons hail from Muzaffarpur.

In its report, the TISS said the children’s home was found running in a highly questionable manner and grave instances of violence were reported by the inmates. Several girls complained about being abused sexually. The audit was conducted between January and March this year.

Kaur said another 14-year-old girl of the children’s home, who had been staying there for a year, told police that six to seven outsiders were being allowed to enter the premises of the home and sexually harass her and other inmates.

“We have seized the cellphone of Brajesh to gather more evidences. Other suspects will be arrested soon,” she said, adding the rescued girls were being counselled by experts.

The state social welfare department had signed an agreement with the NGO in October 2013 for running the children’s home. Altogether 46 girls in the age group of 6-18 years had been residing at the home. They were shifted to other such homes in the state after the matter came to light.

