Autistic brothers sexually assaulted, tortured with cigarettes at illegal Dehradun Boarding School

A shocking case of alleged abuse has emerged from Dehradun, where two autistic brothers, aged nine and 13, were reportedly sexually assaulted, beaten, and tortured with cigarettes at an illegally run boarding school. Their mother filed a police complaint detailing the horrific ordeal, which led to the swift arrest of a 29-year-old hostel caretaker in connection with the incident. A case has been registered under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The mother had enrolled her sons in the "Pencil Box" school after her husband's death, facing the challenge of managing her job while caring for her autistic children. She discovered the school through an online search, unaware of the alleged dangers that awaited her sons. The abuse came to light during a recent visit to the school when the children, despite their communication challenges, managed to convey to her that the caretaker was subjecting them to beatings with an iron rod, burning them with cigarettes, and molesting them.

Following her sons' harrowing revelations, the mother immediately filed a complaint against the school administration. This led to the arrest of the accused hostel caretaker, identified as Sonu. The state Child Rights Commission has also become involved in the matter, interviewing the children to gather more details and confirming that the special school was operating without the necessary permits.

According to Geeta Khanna, chairperson of the Child Rights Commission, the school, run by a woman, lacked the proper permissions required for a facility catering to persons with disabilities. Furthermore, the arrested caretaker, Sonu, had been hired without proper police verification or any official appointment letters. The uncovering of these sexual harassment allegations exposed a cascade of other irregularities within the institution, ultimately leading to the closure of the illegally operated boarding school. Police have also seized CCTV recordings from the premises as part of their ongoing investigation.