Child Welfare Committee caretakers arrested for 'physically abusing' toddler

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 3 (PTI) Three women caretakers of the Kerala State Child Welfare Committee (CWC) were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly "physically abusing private parts" of a two-and-a-half-year-old girl for wetting the bed at night, police said.

A senior officer of the Museum police station, where a case was registered against the three women, said they have been booked under relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The officer said all three women were contractual employees of the CWC.

The women allegedly inflicted injuries on the child's private areas as the girl used to wet the bed at night, which affected their sleep, he said. Action was taken against the women following a complaint by the CWC, the officer said.

As news of the incident spread, Youth Congress activists protested outside the CWC office here.

G L Arun Gopi, general secretary of the Kerala State CWC, said the council took action against seven caretakers who were on duty when the child was injured, removing them from service.

"Three of them were arrested by the police," he told reporters.

He reiterated that the CWC was not protecting anyone and assured that "stringent action would be taken against those involved." Regarding the Youth Congress protest, Gopi acknowledged their right to agitate but clarified that it should not occur inside the CWC premises where minor children were housed.

Later in the day, the three women were produced before a court, which remanded them to judicial custody for 14 days, a police officer said. PTI HMP SSK HMP SSK SA