Maharashtra Hostel: Students Accused of Sexually Abusing Juniors

Seven students from a Maharashtra hostel face charges of sexual abuse against their juniors, while the hostel superintendent is also implicated for allegedly neglecting to address the reported incidents.

Key Points

Seven Class X students in a Maharashtra hostel are accused of sexually abusing junior students.
The hostel superintendent has been booked for allegedly failing to act on reports of the abuse.
The accused students allegedly gave sedatives to younger students before committing the acts.
The abuse is alleged to have been ongoing for seven months before being reported.
An inquiry is being conducted by the Child Welfare Committee, and the accused students have been sent to a remand home.

Seven Class X students of a hostel run by the Maharashtra social welfare department in Igatpuri in Nashik have been booked for allegedly sexually abusing some of their juniors, an official said on Thursday.

The superintendent of the hostel too has been booked in the case filed under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at Igatpuri police station on March 3, he added.

"A case has been filed against seven Class X students and the hostel superintendent, while an inquiry is being carried out by the Child Welfare Committee," district collector Ayush Prasad said.

As per sources, the seven Class students are accused of giving sedatives to those from Class V-VII staying in the same hostel and then indulging in unnatural acts.

"The ordeal was underway since the last seven months but no one had come forward to complain out of fear. However, we found that the victims had informed hostel superintendent Sushant Dudhsagare, who did not take cognisance. Therefore, he too has been named in the case," an official said.

Investigation and Aftermath

After the incident came to light, Zilla Parishad Social Welfare Department in-charge officer Dr Sanjay Shinde and his team visited the spot, held an inquiry and submitted its report to the ZP CEO, who has been asked to probe further, the official said.

The seven students have been sent to a remand home, a police official said.

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