Deoria SP removed after shelter home sexual abuse case; departmental inquiry ordered

The Superintendent of Police of Deoria in Uttar Pradesh, Rohan P Kanay, has been removed from his post following the alleged sexual assault case at a shelter home. The Deoria SP has been posted at the office of Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police.

Former Deoria SP, Rakesh Shankar, has also been removed from his post. He is currently posted as a DIG in Basti area of Uttar Pradesh. The police department has also initiated departmental action against the senior police officials.

This comes even as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that state government has decided to hand over the shelter home case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Besides, a special investigation team (SIT) has also been constituted under ADG Crime to look into the issue.

The Chief Minister had addressed a press conference earlier this month wherein he had claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state had ordered the closure of the shelter home, adding that Deoria District Magistrate, Sujit Kumar, did not act on time. The District Magistrate was transferred and chargesheeted.

The Deoria incident came to light after a girl escaped from the shelter home and informed the police how they were all treated like servants. The Deoria Police also arrested a man and his wife, who were managers at the shelter home.

Reacting to the case, Uttar Pradesh Women and Child Welfare Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi had said an inspection by the CBI is 2017 had established that the shelter home in Deoria was running illegally. She added that despite an order being issued for the closure of the shelter home and shifting of the inmates, the order was not followed.

"On August 1, an FIR was lodged to shut it immediately as illegal acts were being carried on a number of children enrolled at centre as per records are not present. One child was rescued who has filed a complaint. An investigation is underway," she had said.