The manager and his son, running an orphanage in Saathankulam in Thoothukudi district, have been arrested for allegedly sexually harassing child inmates and getting one of the minor girls pregnant. The Elsadi Jebathottam orphanage, run by Soundararajan, 56, and his sons, Sebastian, 26, and Udhayabalan, 24, has 34 children, including 12 girls, hailing from various places in Tamil Nadu including Erode, Hosur, Krishnagiri and Kaliakavilai in Kanyakumari district.
A 15-year-old girl, one of the inmates of the orphanage hailing from Bhavani in Erode district, had gone to stay with some of her relatives saying she was sick. When her relatives took her to the doctor, they found to their shock that she was pregnant. Her relative Durairaj lodged a complaint with the Thoothukudi police, based on which a police team led by the Saathankulam DSP Stanley and including the RDO Packiam Thevakirubai and other officials, raided the orphanage on Friday.
Thoothukudi SP Kapilkumar C Saratkar told TOI that they had taken action against the orphanage based on a complaint from district social welfare officer Muthunayagam. Soundararajan and his eldest son Sebastian were arrested. Cases have been booked against them under IPC Sections 377, 342 and 354 and section IV of the Women Harassment Act and 23 of Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of Children Act of 2006.
Police sealed the orphanage and shifted the girls to the Annai Sathya Government Children's Home in Srivaikundam and the boys to a home in Adaikalapuram in Thoothukudi district.
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