Three caregivers have been arrested for allegedly assaulting a two-and-a-half-year-old girl at a child welfare home in Thiruvananthapuram. The arrests followed a complaint filed by the Secretary of the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare, accusing the caregivers of injuring the child’s genitals as punishment for bedwetting.

The accused—Ajitha, Maheshwari, and Sindhu—face charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Ajitha is specifically accused of inflicting the injury, while Maheshwari and Sindhu are alleged to have attempted to cover up the incident.

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The girl, who had been placed in the welfare home with her five-year-old sibling after the tragic death of their mother and their father’s suicide, was reportedly subjected to inhumane treatment. The injuries were discovered when a fourth caregiver, taking over the child’s care for a day, noticed signs of abuse and alerted authorities.

The child received immediate medical attention and is currently in stable condition. GL Arun Gopi, General Secretary of the Child Welfare Committee, confirmed that while the injuries were not life-threatening, the incident has raised serious concerns about the welfare home’s operations.

The welfare home employs 103 caregivers, all on a contractual basis. Authorities are now investigating the incident to ensure the safety and well-being of other children at the facility.