This however did not change the attitude of the adamant police as two more incidents in their jurisdiction were reported subsequently, one of which pertained to the NGO, Light House.
Inmates of the tainted UK-run NGO Light House located at Tivim, allegedly went missing right under the nose of the Mapusa police in April. They were therefore directed by the Department of Women and Child Department to keep a track on its functioning after a rape of a minor inmate came to the fore.
Herald reports on the abuse at the Light House exposed the matter, forcing agencies to launch an aggressive search for the children. The juveniles were traced, majority of whom were given to their parents in different states but it had no records to show the government. The non-registered children’s home abruptly closed in April and its owners Graham and Tricia Philip Clarke fled from India, leaving the Mapusa police red-faced.
It all began with an alleged rape of an underage Goan girl, who was sent to the home as her economically deprived family were assured by the NGO directors that it would give the child access to opportunities and education for her all round development. But little did the family know their daughter would instead be sexually exploited by a staffer to an extent that it will result in an unwanted pregnancy. A legal abortion was carried out at Goa Medical College.
The two incidents compelled the Department of Women and Child Development to issue an order to close the operations at the home, on July 30, 2014. Ironically, even before the order, the children’s home was closed and those incharge fled to Britain without the knowledge of the government.
The department that conducted regular hearing on this case since April had issued several show cause notices to the children’s home, which returned unanswered. On May 28, 2014, Goa government received an email from the couple running the home, which refused to admit negligence while the WCD report observed the in-charges failed to comment on the block inspection team report that alleged it was unable to meet any NGO official during their probe on April 22, 2014.
The case was a lesson for the government to take seriously their previous circular about mandatory registration of NGOs and children’s home in Goa.
