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Bengaluru: Girl sexually abused by orphanage chairman; accused arrested

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rape

Bengaluru: A 12-year-old girl was reportedly rescued on Tuesday August 18 night after she managed to escape from the orphanage near Peenya where she lived. She alleged that she was sexually abused by the Chairman for the past two months.

A woman, who found her wandering in the neighbourhood, questioned her and on coming to know her predicament, immediately took her to Soladevanahalli police station. She narrated her plight and said that it was impossible for her to stay at the orphanage.

Acting on the girl’s statement, SM Vijayraj (35), the founder-chairman of the orphanage was arrested on Wednesday.

Vijayraj had been running the orphanage since 2004 for orphans or whose parents cannot look after them. There are about 30 children of which 8 are girls.

The victim’s mother is a daily wage labourer and had brought her to the orphanage about 3 years ago after her father passed away. She left her daughter in the orphanage believing that she would be given good food, accommodation and education.

The girl’s ordeal began about two months ago when Vijayraj started sexually abusing her and sometimes violently. The girl, unable to bear the torture had earlier attempted to run away from the orphanage.

The police are now questioning the staff of the orphanage. They are also speaking to the children to check for any other such cases. Efforts are on to trace the girl’s mother who lived in Ramamurthynagar. The district child protection officer has met the girl and she has been admitted to a private hospital.

‘We are born once, we die once; let us do something good in between’ – this is the mission statement of the orphanage where the girl was sexually abused. Vijayraj claims that he too was an orphan. A priest took care of him and gave him education.

The orphanage was started in 2004 for providing shelter, food and education to children and thus runs largely on donations. The trust founded by Vijayraj also has an old-age home.

(Agencies)

HC rejects Asaduddin Owaisi’s Bengaluru rally plea ahead of BBMP polls

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Asaduddin Owaisi

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has said the returning officer will have to take inputs from the city police before granting permission to the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) to organise a rally ahead of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike elections.

Justice A.S. Bopanna on Tuesday issued the direction while rejecting AIMIM’s plea for a direction to the authorities to grant permission for its public rally that was scheduled for August 11 at Chota Maidan in Shivajinagar.

A jurisdictional returning officer on August 6 had granted permission to AIMIM to hold the rally at Chota Maidan between noon and 10 p.m. on August 11 on the condition that it should obtain permission from the city police.

The police, however, refused permission on the grounds of participation of AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, who was earlier this year barred from entering the city. The retuning officer, on August 10 passed a fresh order cancelling the conditional permission granted earlier.

Observing that the view of the police on law and order and threat perceptions would be important for the returning officer to decide on granting permission, the court said AIMIM could seek permission from the returning officer, the police under the Karnataka Police Act and from the owners of any other venue.

(Agencies)

Swachh Bharat: Mysuru cleanest city, Bengaluru cleanest capital, Mangaluru bags 11th position

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Swachh Bharat

Mangaluru: Karnataka’s Mysuru has topped the Swachh Bharat rankings of 476 cities in the country based on the extent of open defecation and solid waste management practices, a statement from the Ministry of Urban Development said.

Karnataka has done exceptionally well with another three cities making it to the list of top 10. The coastal city of Mangaluru has secured eleventh position in the list. Bengaluru has emerged as the cleanest state capital among all state capitals in India.

Mysuru leads the pack with minimal open defecation and extensive adoption of solid waste management practices, followed by Tiruchi (Tamil Nadu), Navi Mumbai, Kochi (Kerala), Hassan, Mandya and Bengaluru from Karnataka, Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), Halisahar (West Bengal) and Gangtok (Sikkim) in that order.

Among the top 100 cities, 39 cities were from the South, 27 from the East, 15 from the West, 12 from the North and 7 from the North-Eastern States, the statement added.

North performed poorly accounting for 74 cities in the bottom 100, while 21 were from the East, 3 from the West and 2 from the South, the statement said.

The worst performer was Damoh (Madhya Pradesh), preceded by Bhind (Madhya Pradesh), Palwal and Bhiwani, both in Haryana, Chittaurgarh (Rajasthan), Bulandshahar (Uttar Pradesh), Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh), Rewari(Haryana), Hindaun (Rajasthan) and Sambalpur in Odisha.

The survey conducted during 2014-15 was commissioned by the Ministry of Urban Development as required under the National Sanitation Policy of 2008.

All 476 Class-1 cities in 31 States and Union Territories, each with a population of above one lakh, were surveyed for assessing total sanitation practices covering a set of parameters, including the extent of open defecation, solid waste management, septage management, waste water treatment, drinking water quality, surface water quality of water bodies and mortality due to water born diseases.

Child molestation case: School headmistress, husband arrested

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rape

Bengaluru: The headmistress of a private school and her husband were arrested here on Thursday in connection with the alleged molestation of a three-year-old pre-nursery student by its security guard, a senior police official said.

“We have taken school headmistress Shirley Soujanya and its trust secretary and her husband Anil Kumar into custody under sections 188 and 336 of the Indian Penal Code for failing to protect the victim and implement the safety guidelines,” city additional police commissioner P. Harishekharan told reporters here.

Accused guard Gautam, 25, was arrested on Tuesday under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and section 376 of the IPC a day after the child’s parents filed a police complaint about the crime that occured on the school campus on Monday.

“The school management violated the mandatory guidelines enforced last year by employing the accused without a background check and disobeying order of a public servant (police commissioner) in ensuring safety and security of the students,” Harishekharan said.

The alleged sexual assault came to light when the victim complained to her parents of abdominal pain on returning home from school on Monday afternoon.

According to preliminary investigation, the guard was working in the school for four years and resides on school premises with his wife, an attendant in the same school.

“The victim’s elder sister, who also studies in the school, told her parents that the guard would often call her younger sister by name, fondle her and give chocolates to both of them,” Harishekharan recalled.

(Agencies)

Bengaluru police rescue 190 children found begging on streets

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Operation Smile

Bengaluru: In a major operation against begging by minors, police conducted simultaneous raids across the city and rescued 190 children, including 25 infants.

The drive, ‘Operation Smile’, began at 10 a.m. across seven divisions of the commissionerate.

The rescued children will be rehabilitated at the bala mandirs run by the state government. Some children would be accommodated in NGOs due to shortage of space.

Operation Smile

“Malls, temples, railway stations, bus stops, theatres and major junctions in the city were common places where beggars using children were found,” said P Harishekaran, Additional Commissioner of Police (East).

“We have information that in a number of cases, children are kidnapped, physically assaulted and forced to beg. Some are taken on rent at the rate of about Rs. 200 to Rs. 300 per day and, in some cases, given sedatives so that they are unconscious,” he said.

The operation took three months of preparation, including training of personnel, identification and survey of prime spots where beggars are found. Over 300 personnel drawn from the city police, officials of the Women and Child Welfare Department, Child Welfare Committee and representative of 10 non-governmental organisations were involved.

The police will now investigate whether these children were forced to beg.

“During investigation, if we find that the children are not with their families, we will immediately subject both child and adult to a DNA test. If we find that the children are being used by their parents, we will send them to the Child Welfare Committee. If they are not related to the adults, cases under human trafficking, beggary, and Juvenile Justice Acts would be registered,” said Mr. Harishekaran.

(Agencies)

Muslim student punished for not worshipping Ganesha; forced to recite shlokas, humiliated

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Represenational Image

Bengaluru: In a shocking incident, a 15-year-old Muslim student was punished and humiliated by the principal for not worshipping ‘Ganesha’ a deity worshipped by many Hindus at a school in South Bengaluru.

This academic year, the school adopted a few controversial Sanskrit shlokas as its official prayer for the morning assembly. When Padmaja Menon, the principal of the school noticed that Abdullah (name changed) and some of his other Muslim friends weren’t singing “Vakratunda Mahakaya, Surya Koti Sama Prabha…,” she asked the group to come on stage and sing loudly.

“I was humiliated in front of 1,200 students and my constitutional right was violated. She made us go on stage and forced us to sing the prayer in front of everybody. She scolded me in front of everyone on the mike when I mispronounced a few Sanskrit words,” said the boy, who is in a state of shock since the July 27 incident.

The boy said the incident has deeply hurt him. “I am on the school debate team and was elected as the head boy unanimously. I have studied here since I was in kindergarten. The teachers love me and my classmates respect me. I felt like all that was lost when I refused to sing the prayer that day,” he said.

“I feel a little awkward now to discipline other students. They look at me as though I don’t have the right anymore. Being the head boy makes me uncomfortable now,” he complained. However, Abdullah is happy with the fact that many of his Hindu friends have been by his side!

The boy’s mother, along with activists of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, approached the principal and sought clarification. However, the principal acted like she did not understand what the fuss was about and kept saying that the prayer was important to instil values and discipline in students.

The principal even suggested that the boy was turning into a fundamentalist Muslim since he was from Bhatkal (a Muslim-dominated area in Karnataka).

The only thing they managed to achieve was an exemption for Abdullah who can now sit in his class while the assembly is on. “But that is not good enough. Why can’t they go back to the old prayer which had no religion in it? Fourteen of the 32 students in my class are Muslims. There are people from other religions too. At least 30% of the school is Muslim. Why should I sit separately?” he asked.

The principal however defended her stance saying that there was nothing wrong with the prayers, one of which invokes the Hindu gods Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. She was quoted assaying: “But Brahma is the creator of the universe. What is wrong in invoking his name?”

On the other hand, Jessy Joseph, the former principal of the school, says the development is “very sad” and points out that Hindu prayers were sung only during festivals. “We also had a tradition of conducting all faith prayers for special occasions,” said Joseph.

“He worships the Creator of the creators of an Idol!”

Family members of Abdullah, who are preparing to take their fight further, say that the boy never agitated against a Hindu prayer song. “He just remained silent during the morning assembly because, he always worships the creator of the creators of an idol,” said one of the family members of the boy.

She said that the first two lines of the prayer song itself is an act of worshipping an idol (O Lord Ganesha, of Curved Trunk, Large Body, and with the Brilliance of a Million Suns / Please Make all my Works Free of Obstacles, Always). “We are Muslims and we seek guidance and help only from the Creator of the universe and not form a creation of the man,” she said.

(Agencies)

Bengaluru: 3-yr-old girl sexually assaulted in school, staff questioned

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rape

Bengaluru: A three-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted on her school campus in Indiranagar. Police said they received a complaint and are investigating a case of suspected sexual assault, based on information provided by the survivor’s parents.

A doctor from Bowring Hospital, where the child was taken, said: “The parents brought the child to the hospital around 5pm. They were accompanied by a woman police officer. When they picked up the child from school around 12.30pm, she was crying and complaining of abdomen pain. The parents found bruises on her private parts. Tests are still going on,” the doctor said around 10.30pm.

The child is a pre-nursery student. Her father works with a restaurant. The family lives in east Bengaluru.

“We received a complaint from the family of a three-year-old child alleging sexual assault. We are verifying the details. The parents said the child is crying ‘Uncle, school’ to all their queries. The time of incident is not clear. Medical tests have been conducted and results are awaited. We can’t say anything more as the matter is under investigation,” DCP (East) N Satish Kumar told TOI.

Police quoted school authorities as saying the campus is covered by CCTV cameras and no case of sexual abuse has been caught on them. Angry scenes prevailed at Bowring Hospital as well-wishers of the girl’s family gathered and demanded that they be allowed inside to see the child.

A family friend present in hospital said the parents rushed to Indiranagar police station late Monday afternoon and told officers what had happened. The child was later taken to Bowring Hospital. “Medical tests are under way. Police are questioning some school staffers,” the neighbour added.

City police booked a case under various sections of the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, 2012, and the IPC’s Section 376 (rape).

This is the first case of sexual assault on a school campus reported in the city this year. Last year, a spate of assaults were reported on school campuses, sparking protests by parents.

The police and education departments stipulated a string of norms be followed on campuses. Schools, though reluctant, had to fall in line. CCTV coverage of campuses, GPS tracking of buses, background checks on staffers and attendants on campus were among the several measures to be implemented by schools.

(Agencies)

N S Megharikh becomes the new Bengaluru Police Commissioner

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N S Megharikh

Bengaluru: N S Megharikh taken charge as Bengaluru Police commissioner here on Friday. Megharikh, a 1989 batch IPS officer succeeded M N Reddi, who is now Director-General of Police and Commandant-General of Home Guards.

On Friday evening M N Reddi handed over his responsibilities to Megharikh in the presence of the police top brass. Prior to his elevation as City Police Commissioner, Megharikh had served as Additional Director-General of Police, in charge of law and order, at the police headquarters.

On his fifth posting in Bengaluru, Megharikh said the upcoming BBMP elections (August 22) would be his first challenge. He also spoke to Express about his plans to improve policing.

“During my tenure or even after my retirement, the department will not get the desired number of personnel. But my objective is to get work done with the people we have. Nobody will work under me. We are going to work together. The BBMP elections are my first challenge. I have worked during the Lok Sabha, Assembly and gram panchayat elections, and I am confident I will be able to ensure there is no law and order disturbance. During the BBMP elections, I will visit all city police stations, Megharikh said.

“I am aware of the problem. We will work on a strategy. I have also seen days when we had to counter dacoits on the outskirts of the city.”

“I believe in grassroots and community policing. We will work under the ground, on the ground and above the ground. Under the ground, we will look at problems the public are not aware of. On the ground, we will develop a cordial relationship with the public. Above the ground, the police are active on social media, and we will continue to communicate with the public using it ” he said.

(Agencies)

Bengaluru City police and Amnesty International India partner to enable safe reporting of sexual violence

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Amnesty International India will also inform people about the process of filing an FIR through virtual reality kiosks in select neighbourhoods, Interactive voice responses, WhatsApp, e-learning videos and Haptik (a mobile-based chat platform that offers support services).

by Karuna Mishra

Nasheman.in reporter Karuna Mishra understanding the process to file FIR by the ready to report campaign.

Nasheman.in reporter Karuna Mishra understanding the process to file FIR by the ready to report campaign.

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru City Police and Amnesty International India today launched the ‘Bengaluru, get Ready to Report’ initiative to empower women in the city to report sexual violence with safety and dignity.

The initiative is part of Amnesty International India’s ‘Ready to Report’ campaign. It will involve local neighborhood communities working with the Bengaluru police to enable safe and dignified reporting, in line with international standards.

Launching the initiative at the Ashok Nagar police station, M. N. Reddi, the Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City, said “We want to encourage women to report instances of sexual abuse or harassment to the police without any loss of time. Unless women are ready to report, it is difficult for the police to act.”

“We are collaborating with Amnesty International India in 10 police stations where our staff and officers will take a pledge to enable women in the area to freely report cases of sexual abuse and harassment.”

Speaking to Nasheman.in, he said, “he is concerned with the sexual harassment faced by the women in the city and the police is trying its best to reduce it by educating such concept.”

The Commissioner inaugurated a ‘virtual kiosk’ set up by Amnesty International India that offers a simulated experience of being inside a police station and explains the step-by-step process of filing an FIR in Kannada and English. He joined local residents in painting the wall of the Ashok Nagar police station on the theme of ‘women’s safety’.

sexual violence

“National statistics show that for every one woman who reports sexual violence to the police, there are 99 that do not. Women often do not feel confident about walking in to a police station to report any form of sexual violence. Sometimes, they are not aware of the formal procedure to file an official complaint,” said Gopika Bashi, Amnesty International India’s Women’s Rights Campaigner.

“Through our ‘Ready to Report’ campaign, we hope to inform and make it easier for women to approach the police.”

Amnesty International India will also inform people about the process of filing an FIR through virtual reality kiosks in select neighbourhoods, Interactive voice responses, WhatsApp, e-learning videos and Haptik (a mobile-based chat platform that offers support services).

The police stations from the six divisions of Bengaluru that will be part of the initiative are: North – Yeshwantpur, West – Chickpet, Central – Cubbon Park, Sadashiv Nagar, Ashok Nagar, East – Indira Nagar, South – Electronic City, Basavangudi, South East – Whitefield, Koramangala. The stations will host events to build relationships with neighborhood communities.

The artist Ullas Hydoor, Zoom car, Logical Indian, Flippar and Haptik are the other partners in the initiative.

Pothole turns into ‘crocodile pond’ in Bengaluru

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crocodile pond

Bengaluru: What do you do if you find a full-grown ‘crocodile’ in the middle of a busy city road? Most would scream out in terror, naturally. And that’s what happened on Thursday on Sulthanpalya Main Road in north Bengaluru that took the motorists and locals by surprise.

People, spotted a life-size crocodile in one of the water-filled potholes, were about to scream for help on spotting the reptile, but soon realised it was a novel way of protest by a 36-year-old visual artist.

Frustrated by the failure of the BBMP to repair a giant pothole and a broken water pipe in the middle of the main road, Baadal Nanjundaswamy, a former visualiser with a leading advertising agency, planted the 20 kg life-sized crocodile in the 12-feet-long pothole and painted the ‘pond’ in green.

“A drinking water pipe broke about a month ago. The subsequent rain and constant traffic has eroded the road creating a big pot hole. Authorities have showed no response to rectifying it. Locals have complained to the BBMP and the BWSSB to no avail. I am hoping they will take some action now,” Nanjundaswamy said.

The artist created his fiber crocodile over a week’s time at a personal cost of Rs 6000.

This is not the first time that Nanjundaswamy has used his creativity for civic activism. Last year, he had turned an open manhole into the mouth of ‘Yamaraj’ – to suggest that it was a death trap – and authorities fixed it within a day.

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