Demolition of Muzaffarpur shelter home begins

The demolition drive of the Muzaffarpur shelter home where inmates were allegedly sexually abused began on Thursday, according to officials. Five-member team headed by executive engineer Suresh Kumar Sinha carried out the drive. The shelter home was run by 'Seva Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti' which is an NGO run by convicted Brajesh Thakur, the prime accused in the sex scandal.

Bihar: Process to destroy Muzaffarpur shelter home begins under Magistrate's supervision. Over 30 girls living in it were sexually abused according to an audit report by Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Main accused Brajesh Thakur is in jail in connection with the incident. pic.twitter.com/hIo8qaeTCr

— ANI (@ANI) December 13, 2018

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Orders for razing the building were issued by the municipal authorities last month after it was found that the structure was raised in violation of the approved plan, officials said. Municipal Commissioner Sanjay Dubey has set up the panel to look after the demolition job.

The building was vacated on Tuesday and shelter home was closed. It may take a few days to demolish the building completely as is located in a narrow alley, sources said.

The scandal at the shelter home came to light earlier this year in a social audit by the Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences, which said that over 30 girls living there were sexually abused.

After the shelter home scandal came to light, Thakur and others were booked on May 30. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently probing the case. So far, 17 people have been arrested in connection to the same.

Bihar Social Welfare Minister Manju Verma had resigned following the Muzaffarpur case, when it came to light that her husband, Chandrashekhar Verma, had spoken to Thakur several times between January and June.