The Kalamboli police have arrested two caretakers of an ashram for sexually abusing three inmates, who are stepbrothers, over a period of two months.
The accused, Dipesh Nikam (19) and Gaurav Kamat (27), are caretakers of the ashram in Sector 14, Kalamboli. The case was registered on Monday night by the father of the three boys, who are 11, 12 and 17 years old. The boys are Class V, VI and IX students, and the eldest has an intellectual disability.
“According to the complaint, the boys were sexually abused by three caretakers from February to April. We have arrested two of them. The boys said they were abused at night in the caretakers’ rooms,” Assistant Commissioner of Police, Panvel division, Prakash Nilewad said. Sub-inspector Santosh Pimpale and team nabbed the two accused from Kalamboli.
Meanwhile, another student of the ashram has claimed that the allegations are false. “No other student has alleged harassment. The three had gone home during the summer holidays and they saw that their father had bought a new hutment, which they liked. They have made false allegations so that they can go home,” the Class X student said.
The parents of the complainants, residents of Nalasopara, sell flowers outside Dadar station. They sent the three boys to the ashram, which promises free education, around three years ago.
The accused were brought up in the ashram too. They have been arrested under Sections of 377 (unnatural intercourse), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the IPC.
