Brutality at Mumbai shelter home: Caretaker booked for assaulting minors after they woke up late
Mumbai, June 30 (IANS) The police have registered a case against Rajesh Kumar, a 21-year-old caretaker at Swagat Ashram in Kandivali West in Mumbai, Maharashtra, for allegedly physically assaulting two minors. The accused allegedly grabbed an 11-year-old boy by the throat and repeatedly slapped him after the child and his brother woke up late.
The incident came to light after the two children fled the shelter home and were later rescued by the Dadar Railway Police. Police have launched an investigation into the matter.
According to the victim’s statement, the children had been staying at the ashram after their father passed away in September 2025. Their mother had admitted them to the institution in the hope of providing them with a better future and access to education.
The victim told police that at around 4 a.m. on June 8, he and his cousin were assigned the task of filling water at the ashram. After completing the work at around 5 a.m., they went back to sleep, intending to wake up again at 6 a.m. for kitchen duties. However, due to exhaustion, they failed to wake up on time.
Enraged by the delay, the caretaker allegedly threw a bottle at one of the boys. He then repeatedly punched the 11-year-old on his back. When the child turned around, the accused allegedly grabbed him by the throat and slapped him across the face several times.
According to the complaint, the victim told police that the children had been subjected to regular abuse and beatings at the shelter home. Fearing further violence, the 11-year-old and his 14-year-old friend decided to flee the premises.
After leaving the ashram, the victim borrowed Rs 100 from a vegetable vendor by mentioning the caretaker’s name. The two boys then travelled by auto-rickshaw to Kandivali railway station and boarded a local train to Dadar. They were reportedly planning to travel onward to Ahilyanagar to reach the victim’s mother.
An alert citizen noticed the boys wandering on Platform No. 13 at Dadar railway station and informed the Dadar Railway Police. The officers took the children into custody, counselled them, and uncovered the alleged abuse at the shelter home.
The police subsequently contacted the boys’ mother and informed the authorities at Swagat Ashram. After undergoing medical examinations, both children were shifted to a safe children’s home.
Following directions from the Child Welfare Committee, Mumbai City, the police registered a case against Rajesh Kumar. Further investigation into the alleged assault and the functioning of the shelter home is underway.
–IANS
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