Social worker arrested for sexually assaulting Dalit children: UP cops
Their families alleged that police initially did not register a case despite their protests
Lucknow | Updated: July 9, 2023 07:46 IST
A 57-year-old social worker was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting four Dalit children, aged between 10 and 12, in Varanasi city after promising them books and notebooks, local police said on Saturday.
According to the children’s families, although the incident took place in June, an FIR was registered Thursday after the intervention of senior police officers.
Their families alleged that police initially did not register a case despite their protests outside the accused’s house.
They further alleged that the accused had threatened the children to kill their parents if they disclosed the assault.
Based on the complaint lodged by the mother of one of the children, the social worker, who also runs an NGO, was booked on Thursday under sections 377 (unnatural offences) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, said Circle Officer Praveen Singh.
The accused was arrested and sent to jail, the CO said.
According to the CO, the accused claimed he provided books and notebooks to the children to promote education.