Thirty six kids between the age group of 5 to 15-year olds were rescued from a Madrasa and a maulana was arrested by the Bharatiya Vidyapeeth police team in Pune. The Maulana named Rahim has been accused by the children of asking them to undress and touch their private parts. The Jamia Amubhuja Darul Yatama Madrasa situated in RK colony, Katraj Kondhwa was raided by the police team with the help of child right activists from the organisation ‘Saathi’. Maulana Rahim has been taken into custody and a case has been registered under the POCSO Act and the Juvenile Justice Act. Some more arrests could be made in the future in this case as it is difficult to believe that such a large institution was being run by just a single person. The Bharatiya Vidyapeeth police station confirmed that the arrest and the filing of the case had indeed been carried out by them.
The police team got news of the sexual abuse being committed in the Madrasa from the Railway Police Force (RPF). The RPF at the Pune Railway station got hold of two juveniles who were waiting alone at the railway station on July 23. The RPF team grew suspicious of the two juveniles who were not accompanied by any adult. Upon questioning, the boys revealed that they were originally from Bihar’s Bhagalpur district. They also revealed that they had been trying to run away to their homes because the maulana from their Madrasa often forced them for sexual acts. They revealed that they had come to the station in the hope of catching a train to their native places to get away from the clutches of the Maulana.
The RPF team after getting to know the complex nature of the allegations levied by the children took them to ‘Balkalyan Samiti’ for counselling. They also informed the local police officials of the facts narrated by the children, the police team which was formed immediately decided to raid the Madrasa. Upon reaching the place, they were able to nab the prime accused and were able to rescue 36 other kids from the Madrasa. It is also shocking that such a shockingly large Madrasa was running without any registration with the police and other authorities, the institution was not even registered with the charity commissioner.
The heinous nature of the crime and the ordeals faced by the young kids makes it a ghastly act in itself. This is not the first time when a Madrasa was used as a safe place for vile men to carry out their gory practices. It is shocking how such a large institution was being allowed to run inside the city boundaries without registration with the authorities. The central government needs to issue a directive to the state governments to conduct searches in the various Madrsas running in the country. A proper database of these religious institutions too should be maintained which will ensure proper safety and security for the young kids who are sent to these institutions to gain religious education.