The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has written to the Superintendent of Police, Balangir, Odisha, asking for a high-level probe into the alleged exploitation of girls in a school in Odisha after a teacher of the school was found murdered. A 24-year-old teacher named Mamita Meher had gone missing on October 8 in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, and was found dead after a few days. It has been alleged that she was killed because she was about to expose a racket of sexual exploitation of girls in the school by some powerful people. The child rights committee has ordered the SP to launch an investigation into Govind Sahu, a close aide of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders, who is accused of operating the sex racket in the school where Mamita Meher was the principal.
According to the NCPCR letter, Govind Sahu used to sexually exploit girls of the school in a separate room. Sahu used to lure the girls by promising good marks in examinations, and BJD leader Dibyashanakr Mishra used to visit the school frequently. NCPCR also says girls, as well as boys, were targeted in the exploration.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has taken cognisance of the matter after a Delhi based activist group Kalinga Rights Forum (KRF) filed a complaint against the alleged sex racket being operated in the school in Odisha and the murder of the school principal Mamita Meher.
In its letter, NCPCR asked the police to initiate an inquiry under the relevant sections of the POCSO Act. Asking to ensure that the identity of the victims is not disclosed during the process of investigation, the child rights body asked the SP to submit the following details within 5 days from receiving the letter:
- Copy of FIR and copy of MLR
- Copy of the statement of the victim
- Copy of orders of CWC in respect to the case
- Action taken against the accused
- How many girls/ boys are studying in the school
- Whether involvemnet of school authorities was found in the case?
- Age group of boys and girls who were sexually exploited
Delhi based activist group writes to NCPCR
It may be noted that the Delhi based activist group had on October 21, brought the matter to the notice by posting about the same on its official Twitter handle. Sharing pictures of the trending hashtag #justiceforMamita, Kalinga Rights Forum had asked NCPCR to launch a high-level probe and send a fact team to probe the alleged sexual exploitation of girls in Sunshine Public School Mahaling, Bolangir Odisha by its owner Govind Sahu, which led to the murder of Principal Mamita Meher when she threatened to expose the racket.
Also Requested:
— Kalinga Rights Forum (@KalingaForum) October 21, 2021
1) Independent Probe into Role of @bjd_odisha ministers MoS Home Dept Shri Dibyashankar Mishra, Minister Pratap Jena and others & their connection with the Govind Sahu in whole incident as well as monitoring of probe.
2) Direct Regn of FIR U/s JJ Act 2015 & IPCs pic.twitter.com/bLrncKGS12
Also Requested :
— Kalinga Rights Forum (@KalingaForum) October 21, 2021
4) @NCPCR_ to Send a counselling team to counsel & look after mental wellbeing of the girls exploited to ascertain level of harassment of girls both physically & mentally. pic.twitter.com/GxO33x5kow
The activist group had also asked for an independent probe into the role of BJD ministers MoS Home Dept Shri Dibyashankar Mishra, Minister Pratap Jena and others and their connection with the Govind Sahu in the whole incident.
The murder case of Mamita Meher in Odisha
In Odisha’s Kalahandi district, a 24-year-old teacher named Mamita Meher had gone missing on October 8. On October 19, a badly charred and decomposed corpse of a woman was found buried in an under-construction stadium that is owned by the same institution where the teacher worked.
The case has created a political storm in the state. Accusations have been hurled at Dibyashankar Mishra, a BJD Minister and MLA of the same constituency where the incident has occurred. Both BJP and Congress have called for protests in the state.
It is notable that the schoolteacher Mamita Meher was also the warden of the Girls’ hostel run by the Mahaling institution. There are some reports claiming that Mamita was on the verge of exposing an alleged sex racket running in the school before she suddenly disappeared.
Govind Sahu, the main accused in the Mamita Meher disappearance and murder case, was nabbed and was under the custody of Titilagarh police when he escaped on October 17. The escape of the main accused has further irked the public and political opposition. Sahu was later arrested from Budhipadar in Bangomunda block, Balangir district on October 19.
Govind Sahu is the Management Committee president of the school where Mamita worked. As per reports, Sahu had called Mamita to come and meet him on the day she went missing. Reports say that Sahu and some other persons were allegedly sexually exploiting some women employees and Mamita had threatened to expose it.
Sahu is reportedly close to minister Minister Dibyashanakr Mishra. He had been involved in government projects and had also got grants from MPLAD and MLALAD funds.
