Institute operator arrested for sexually exploiting visually challenged girl in Haldwani

Haldwani: A man who runs an institute has been arrested and sent to jail for allegedly sexually exploiting a visually challenged girl in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani, police said.

Police said 60-year-old Shyam Dhanak was arrested from his residence in Damuwadhunga Endowment on Friday evening.

Some minor girls living in the institute had somehow managed to file their complaint against Dhanak to the senior superintendent of police, Nainital. Dhanak was arrested after the allegations were found to be true, police said.

Dhanak was running an institute of the National Association for the Blind (NAB) for visually challenged and deaf-mute children for a long time.

According to police, investigation revealed he had asked the girls not to tell anyone about this. Police sources said when the girls protested against the alleged sexual exploitation, they were beaten up and not given food.

Police sources further revealed that since the girls did not have any mobile phone or any other means of communication, they somehow managed to get a letter sent to the police through a person in July.

According to sources, police investigated the matter for one-and-a-half month. They said a case has been registered against Dhanak under sections 376, 504, 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.

At present, 113 students are studying in the NAB.

According to police, other children of the institute are also being interrogated and their statements are being recorded. Police recorded the minor’s statement under section 164 after conducting the medical examination.

Police said Dhanak was produced before the POCSO court on Saturday, which sent him to jail.