Akhilesh Yadav demands probe into abuse of minor girls at Kanpur shelter home

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said that the Uttar Pradesh government should immediately investigate who was involved in alleged physical abuse of minor girls at a government-run shelter home in Kanpur after a few of them were found to be pregnant.

The former Chief Minister said that outrage has spread in the state after this news. The girls who are COVID-19 positive should be treated immediately.

"Outrage has spread in Uttar Pradesh due to the news from the Government Child Protection Home in Kanpur. There has been serious disclosure of some minor girls are pregnant. Of these, 57 have been found to be suffering from corona and one from AIDS, they should be treated immediately. The government should immediately take up the investigation against those who were involved in physical abuse," Yadav tweeted (translated from Hindi).

Earlier, district magistrate BR Tiwari said that 57 girls at a government-run shelter home were found to be COVID-19 positive of which five girls were pregnant.

"57 positive cases have been reported, all have been admitted to hospitals. Five girls among them are pregnant, they were brought at the shelter home, under various POCSO cases, from different places," said BR Tiwari, District Magistrate.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the state has reported 17,731 COVID-19 cases including 550 deaths, 10,995 cured and 6,186 active cases so far.

( With inputs from ANI )