29 children rescued from illegal shelter

Thane: In a shocking case of child abuse, district authorities rescued 29 children — including 20 girls and 9 boys — from an illegal children’s shelter named Pasaydan Vikas Sanstha in Khadavli, Thane. The rescue operation was carried out on April 11 by the District Women and Child Development Office, with the assistance of police, following a distress call received via the Child Helpline (1098) on April 10. The complaint alleged physical assault and sexual abuse of minors within the facility.

Based on the complaint, an immediate inspection was conducted by a special task force, which revealed disturbing instances of physical violence and sexual exploitation of minor girls. During interactions with the children, officials confirmed signs of abuse, leading to an urgent intervention and evacuation of all children from the shelter.

A case has been registered against five individuals Baban Narayan Shinde (shelter director), his wife Asha Baban Shinde, their son Prasanna Shinde, and aides Prakash Suresh Gupta and Darshana Laxman Pandit under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. All accused are residents of Khadavli and are currently under police investigation.

District Collector Ashok Shingare said, “The safety and welfare of children remains a top priority for the administration. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards child abuse, and strict action will be taken against those found guilty to ensure such heinous acts are not repeated.”

The rescued children were presented before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), and their medical examinations were conducted as per protocol. The children have now been placed in government-run shelter homes in Ulhasnagar, including special homes for girls and separate facilities for younger and older boys.

Some of the rescued children were reportedly studying in a local Zilla Parishad school. In light of their upcoming examinations, the education department has been requested to make special arrangements to ensure their academic progress is not disrupted.

District Women and Child Development Officer Santosh Bhosale urged citizens to remain vigilant: “If anyone suspects unauthorized child shelters or any form of child abuse, they should immediately report it by calling 1098. Running unregistered child shelters and exploiting children is a serious offense under Indian law, and public cooperation is essential in preventing such crimes.”