Following a detailed investigation, the Dehradun Police have filed a case of child abuse against the director of Madarsa Jamia Tussalam Al Islamia in Azad Colony. This action comes after the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) launched an inquiry prompted by a news report highlighting allegations of abuse at the institution.
The investigation revealed that children at the madarsa, who were receiving Islamic education, were subjected to severe physical and mental abuse. According to reports, the NCPCR’s team uncovered disturbing evidence of maltreatment during their examination of the madarsa. The police, acting on the NCPCR’s directives, scrutinized CCTV footage from the madarsa, which confirmed the abuse allegations and led to the registration of the case against Mufti Rais Ahmad, the madarsa’s director, and several others.
SSP Ajay Singh confirmed the filing of the FIR, stating, “The case was filed after a thorough investigation into the operations and conditions at the madarsa.”
The NCPCR’s findings also highlighted significant regulatory issues. The madarsa was found to be unregistered and was operating without the necessary legal approvals.
Additionally, children were being brought in from other states without proper verification or documentation. The madarsa’s enrollment numbers did not comply with the required standards for land and building use. During their appearance before the NCPCR, the madarsa’s directors failed to present valid registration documents.
The NCPCR Uttarakhand chairperson, Dr Geeta Khanna, has raised the issue with higher authorities, writing to the Chief Minister, DGP, and the Principal Secretary of the Minority Affairs Department to address these concerns.
This case is part of a broader issue in Uttarakhand, where regulatory actions have been taken against unregistered madarsas in the past. Authorities have been increasingly scrutinizing such institutions to ensure compliance with educational and safety standards.
The government has now revealed that approximately 400 unregistered madarsas are currently operating in Uttarakhand, prompting a new wave of investigations to address these regulatory and compliance issues.
