Show summary Hide summary
The Child Welfare Committee and district child protection teams have launched a door-to-door outreach in Paratwada and Achalpur after revelations of a sexual exploitation case, urging families to come forward so investigations can proceed. Investigators say one minor has already given a recorded statement, and officials are pressing community leaders and social workers to persuade other survivors and relatives to report what happened.
Authorities push for more statements as probe continues
Teams from the CWC and the District Child Protection Unit have focused recent visits on neighborhoods and religious communities where survivors live, offering confidentiality and legal assistance to those who speak up. A member of the outreach unit said the effort aims to reduce fear among families and ensure evidence is preserved while the inquiry advances.
Noida man arrested after harassing Muslim couple on street amid public uproar
Swami Vivekananda statue Seattle: city unveils first U.S. government-backed monument
So far, officials confirm one girl has formally spoken to investigators. The outreach campaign aims to secure additional statements and to identify any witnesses who can help corroborate allegations.
Religious leaders call for a non-sectarian response
Local clerics and community figures have denounced the abuse and urged residents to treat the matter as criminal, not confessional. Syed Gaisoddin, the city Qazi for Achalpur-Paratwada, told reporters the accused should be prosecuted under the law regardless of religion and stressed that inflammatory comments risk inflaming tensions in an already fragile environment.
Gaisoddin, 78, described the case as damaging to the town’s social fabric and demanded swift legal action against anyone spreading hatred. He also said that political figures who make divisive statements should be subject to the same legal scrutiny as any other citizen.
State Minority Commission responds to political remarks
State Minority Commission chair Pyare Khan disputed public claims by a prominent politician that all survivors were of a different faith and not wearing religious dress. Khan called those assertions misleading and warned they could escalate communal tensions while the criminal probe is underway.
Khan said the commission has received complaints from survivors’ families seeking action under the POCSO Act against those they accuse of causing further harm, and that the panel will send a detailed report to senior state and central officials requesting strict action and oversight.
- Current status: One minor has given a recorded statement; investigations are active.
- Outreach: CWC and district child protection teams are contacting families, community leaders and religious heads to encourage reporting.
- Legal steps: Families have lodged complaints; the State Minority Commission plans to forward its field survey to state and central authorities.
- Local action: Authorities carried out demolition related to the accused’s alleged illegal construction, which officials say falls under municipal jurisdiction.
Investigators and child welfare officials emphasize the importance of timely statements to preserve evidence and to protect other potential victims. They have reiterated offers of legal support and assured confidentiality to those who come forward.
Community leaders stress that safeguarding children and securing justice must take priority over partisan or sectarian narratives. The case is likely to prompt closer scrutiny from state agencies as the Commission’s report reaches higher levels of government.
