In a disturbing incident that has shaken Maharashtra, a 16-year-old HIV-positive girl has accused a staff member at a state-supported children’s home of repeatedly raping her over two years. The survivor also claims she was forced into a medical abortion without her knowledge or consent all while residing in a place meant to protect her.
This horrifying account has brought to light grave concerns about safety, accountability, and systemic neglect in institutional care facilities for vulnerable children.
A Place of Safety Turned Hostile
The survivor was placed at the shelter home in the Latur district’s Hasegaon hamlet at the beginning of 2023. The shelter house was supposed to offer a secure and caring environment for HIV-positive orphans and at-risk children.
It allegedly turned into a site of torture instead. Between July 2023 and July 2025, she was sexually abused several times by a male employee, according to her lawsuit. Every attack, she claims, took place on the shelter grounds, where she had no way to leave or legal protection.
In a desperate attempt to seek justice, the girl wrote about the assaults and placed a note in the institution’s complaint box. Shockingly, she alleges that staff members discovered her letter and destroyed it, an act that potentially enabled the abuse to continue unchecked.
The survivor was placed at the shelter home in the Latur district’s Hasegaon hamlet at the beginning of 2023. The shelter house was supposed to offer a secure and caring environment for HIV-positive orphans and at-risk children.
Illness Uncovers the Truth
In mid-2025, the girl began suffering from severe abdominal pain and fatigue. Concerned staff members finally took her to a hospital. What the doctors discovered was shocking: she was four months pregnant.
Rather than informing authorities or consulting the child’s legal guardian, a doctor affiliated with the shelter allegedly performed a medical abortion without explaining the procedure to the minor or obtaining informed consent. The girl claims she was unaware of the pregnancy or the abortion until afterward.
A Formal Complaint and Swift Action
Following these events, the survivor mustered the courage to approach the police. She filed a complaint at Dhoki police station in Latur, detailing the repeated sexual assaults and the forced abortion.
The case has since been transferred to the Ausa police jurisdiction to ensure an impartial investigation. Authorities acted quickly, arresting four people, including the accused staffer, the shelter home’s superintendent, the founder, and the doctor who allegedly carried out the abortion.
A Deepening Scandal
The shelter home, which receives government support, is now under intense investigation. Officials and activists for child welfare are questioning the shelter’s operations, security measures, and oversight procedures.
This case has exposed the failure of systems meant to protect the most vulnerable orphaned and HIV-positive children. Advocates claim it serves as a tragic reminder of how urgently childcare facilities need to change, especially in terms of holding employees accountable and enforcing strict regulations.
Justice Must Be Swift
After the shocking incident came to light, the police moved quickly, registering a case under serious sections of the POCSO Act, the Juvenile Justice Act, and the Indian Penal Code. The young girl already carrying the burden of illness and trauma has now been shifted to a safer place where she is receiving medical attention and psychological support.
Child protection authorities at both state and national levels have stepped in. The Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has launched an official inquiry, and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is expected to keep a close eye on the investigation. Their focus isn’t just on justice for this one girl, but on ensuring accountability from institutions that failed to keep her safe.
Across the country, concerned citizens, child rights activists, and legal experts are demanding a fast-track trial. They want justice that isn’t delayed and more importantly, a message that no system should ever fail a child again. For many, this case isn’t just about punishment but about restoring dignity to a girl who has already lost too much, and making sure such horror is never repeated.
