3 women accuse shelter home staff of physical, mental abuse

Three women, who were recentlyshifted out of a shelter home located in Chhattisgarh'sBilaspur district, have accused its staff of indulging inphysical and mental abuse against the inmates.

The operator of the shelter home, however, has deniedthe charges.

Police said they have taken cognizance of the matterand the women's statements will be recorded in front of themagistrate here on Thursday.

The allegations were made recently after a 20-year-oldamong the three women allegedly denied to leave the shelterhome located in Sarkanda police station area even as herhusband had reached the place to take her back home.

''The 20-year-old woman had been shifted to UjjawalaHome, a government-aided shelter, on January 16 when she wasfound wandering nearby. She said she had left her home after afight with her husband,'' a police official here said.

The next day, her husband reached the shelter home totake her back during which the staff of the facility asked himto show the proof that he is her spouse, following which heentered into a verbal spat with them, he said.

Later, the woman's family lodged a case of wrongfulconfinement and obscene act against the shelter home staff.

The operator of shelter home also registered a caseagainst her family on charges of house trespass and obsceneacts, he said.

Meanwhile, two other women inmates, including a rapevictim, also reached the police station alleging physical andsexual abuse of women at the shelter home, he said.

However, when their statements were recorded by awoman police officer at the police station, they said theyhave heard of sexual assault being committed on women inmates,but denied being victim of it following no case was registeredin this regard, he said.

On Tuesday, the three women appeared before the media,with one of them saying that she was assaulted and touchedinappropriately by the operator of the shelter home.

They also alleged that women were drugged there.

The operator has denied the allegations.

Bilaspur Superintendent of Police Prashant Agrawalsaid, police have been investigating that matter.

The women's statements will be recorded under section164 of the CrPC on Thursday and further action will be takenaccordingly, Agrawal said.

Another government official said the shelter home hasbeen shut and its inmates have been shifted to their homes andother government facility.