House of Horrors: The focus of the authorities on the homes run by NGOs

It is unimaginable that gross violations of the law and human rights are common, and when intervention finally occurs, it is already too late for some. the latest case isanbu jothi ashram case Dark secrets and incidents unearthed – completely by accident – in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district inside the house, The matter came to light after the police received a missing person’s complaint. Then came one shocking fact after another, including sexual and physical abuse, bizarre tactics of intimidation, and even trafficking. The unlicensed home – the name translates to ‘Flame of Love’ – was providing shelter to people on the fringes of society in need of physical and social support. It was accommodating destitute women, abandoned senior citizens, beggars, alcohol addicts and persons with mental retardation or disease. Residents who were rescued later described how they were gripped with a mixture of fear, horror, and dismay; The owners also used monkeys to terrorize them. The house had been on the run for years until police entered its premises for the first time last week four employees arrested For running the center without valid permit. A total of 142 residents were rescued and shifted. Subsequently, when female residents of the house leveled allegations of sexual harassment and torture against the owner, Zubin Baby, and his wife Maria, Police arrested the couple, Another unit operated by them near Puducherry was closed and more than 20 residents were rescued. following, the National Commission for Women recorded testimony Inquiry has been handed over about the rescued women CB-CID,

The Ambu Jothi Ashram case should never have happened given the safety net provided by the law and the rules framed and enforced by the state. All care homes must be registered and periodically assessed to ensure they operate. How did this institution slip through the cracks? In the social sector, laws that serve people in adverse circumstances should leave no loopholes, no cracks that can be exploited. This case certainly speaks to the chronic neglect in the sector, despite periodic sermons and even raids on care homes to check their credentials. Exploitation in the social sphere is particularly intolerable; It is like letting the fence eat the crop. Monitoring and supervision in the field needs to be impeccable and corruption free. The authorities should not only document every last open violation at the ashram, but also make an example of it – to serve as a devastating deterrent to anyone with a thought of abusing those who seek sanctuary. can mess up.

Click here to read this editorial in Telugu.