BHOPAL: In a horrific recall of the government hostel rapes that shocked the nation in August, teenaged inmates of a state-run shelter for the deaf and mute alleged that the owner has been raping and sodomizing boys and girls for years. Four boys and two girls came forward to say they had been sexually abused by M P Awasthi.What makes this one even more horrifying is that Awasthi was accused of the same crimes by some minors of a Hoshangabad shelter last year, but was allowed to run his home in Bhopal, where he allegedly continued to prey on children as young as 10. The kids suffered for years until they read news reports of the arrest of Bhopal hostel director Ashwini Sharma, and mustered courage to complain.Their accusation triggered outrage across the state. Congress pounced on it and took the youngsters to the party office for a press conference before they had a chance to speak with police. Till late Friday night, police were still trying to take down statements and had not yet filed an FIR.Sources said police were looking for a sign language expert because they did not want to go by the one roped in by Congress.The otherwise deserted office of the social justice department in Bhopal was plunged into chaos when 40 deaf and mute teenagers trooped in, accusing Awasthi of rape. With fear in their eyes, the teens — who covered their faces — let out their sufferings through translator Shraddha Shukla. State Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza spoke in support of the survivors.The otherwise deserted office of the social justice department in Bhopal was plunged into chaos when 40 deaf and mute teenagers trooped in, accusing Awasthi of rape. With fear in their eyes, the teens — who covered their faces — let out their sufferings through translator Shraddha Shukla.State Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza spoke in support of the survivors, and said, “Officials are not heeding their grievances. Why wasn’t Awasthi punished if he was found guilty in the Hoshangbad case last year? Why did the government allow him to run the Bhopal shelter?” The six complainants alleged that Awasthi repeatedly raped them and would beat them mercilessly if they resisted. The teenagers submitted a signed complaint listing Awasthi’s horrendous and sickening acts.One of them, an 18-yearold, said he began raping her at the Hoshangabad shelter when she was 10. “I was only five years old when my parents left me here and never bothered to contact me again. The owner forced me to do household chores and would beat me. He raped me in 2010 for the first time and the ordeal continued,” she communicated through Shukla. “I was shifted to another hostel in 2012 with the help of a good man, but had to come back in 2016. I brought the matter to the notice of the Hoshangbad collector and police last year and it was investigated. When he was found guilty, the Hoshangabad centre was shut down, but no FIR was filed and he was not arrested,” she alleged, adding that two staff members of the shelter began torturing her and the others who had complained.Another of the complainants, a 24-year-old, said she arrived at the hostel at the age of 11 in 2004. “I suffered at the hands of Awasthi for eight years till 2011 when I left the hostel,” she said.The four boys — aged 15 to 22 — told TOI they were minors when they were sodomized. “We were beaten badly if we resisted. It was only after we saw and read about Ashwani Sharma’s arrest that we gathered the courage to stand up against Awasthi,” said one of them.Krishna Mohan Tiwari, director of social justice department, said, “They came to us for help in filing an FIR against Awasthi. We will write to the collectors of Hoshangabad and Bhopal for further investigation.”

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