12 girls sexually abused at TN orphanage
S M Arun
Express News Service
First Published : 26 Sep 2010 03:02:49 AM IST
Last Updated : 26 Sep 2010 06:19:18 PM IST
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THOOTHUKUDI: The sexual abuse of 12 girl children at the El Shaddai Jebathottam, a Home for orphaned children near Sattankulam, has raised eyebrows since the needle of suspicion points to the Social Welfare department.
The home at Mani Nagar in Sattankulam is being run by Soundararajan (56) and his sons Jebastin Christopher (25) and Udaya Bala Jebasingh (23) for about seven years.

Around 34 orphans, including 12 girls from various places such as Hosur, Krishnagiri, Erode and other northern districts were accommodated at this home.

The incident came to light recently after a girl Selvi (15) (name changed) of Erode was found by her guardians to have become pregnant.

Subsequently, her guardians took Selvi along with them to Erode. Residents of Sattankulam say that for the past few years, complaints of sexual abuse had popped up against Soundararajan and his sons but no stern action or even an enquiry was initiated by the Social Welfare department.

“We felt something fishy was going on in this home for the past five years and though we expected the authorities to inspect and seal this home when statewide raids were conducted recently, nothing happened,” a resident told Express on the condition of anonymity on Saturday.

On information about the suspicious activities in the home, District Social Welfare Officer Muthunayagam and a team of officials raided the home on Friday night and the aggrieved children poured out their grievances of how they were subjected to sexual torture by Soundararajan and his sons.

Though all the 12 girl children were reported to be abused, it is quite unclear about the condition of the boys.

All the inmates of the home were sent to government hostel at Srivaikundam. Soundararajan and his son Jebasin Christopher were detained by Thattarmadam police and search was on for Udaya Bala Jebasingh.

The district police and the Social Welfare department officials informed that investigations were on.

(indian express)

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