NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to Bihar government over reported sexual exploitation of girls inside a shelter home in Muzaffarpur .

There were 44 girls living in the home run by an NGO under the supervision of the social welfare department.

Reportedly, the child protection officer of Muzaffarpur district has been arrested regarding alleged sexual exploitation of the girls.

The commission has issued notices to the chief secretary and the DGP of Bihar directing them to enquire into the matter and submit a report within two weeks.

The commission has observed that the incident raises a serious issue of violation of human rights of the girls.

“The shelter home is supposed to give security and protection to the victim girls but under no stretch of imagination the Shelter Home can be a playing ground of predators for their monstrous and vulturous activities, which are against the human dignity and sobriety of the women. However, in the instant case, the girls have apparently become victim of rape at the instance of the protectors in the shelter home, as the government officials and the shelter home staff have been allegedly found to be involved in the incident. The state and the local administration have failed miserably to protect the rights and dignity of the victim girls,” said NHRC in a statement.

The NHRC has asked the government that their report should also contain the reply to certain specific points – including whether any approval was given by the social welfare department to run the shelter home in question and what is the mechanism to monitor its functioning. If any monitoring mechanism is at place, why such incident took place; whether any of the victims belong to scheduled caste/scheduled tribe.

