PUNE/ SANGLI: Taking immediate action after eight girls from Meenai Ashramshala were sexually abused in Kurlap village of Sangli district, the Social Welfare Department has sent a letter to the State government to cancel the licence of the ashramshala. Both superintendents Subhash Patil and Madhuri Kadam were suspended by Assistant Commissioner Sachin Kavale of Social Welfare Department.

An anonymous letter was found at Kurlap police station alleging that the president of the organisation Arvind Pawar had molested eight girls. The police investigated and found evidence to support the claim. Thereafter police arrested Pawar.

Anesthetic drugs and obscene CDs were found at Pawar’s office. In this gruesome crime the police also found that Manisha Kamble, cook of the ashramshala was also helping the accused. The police arrested her too on Thursday. 

The other 17 girls from the ashramshala were immediately moved to another ashramshala. 

The gruesome incident took a political turn as Pawar was earlier associated with a political party. Shiv Sena leader Anand Pawar demanded that Arvind Pawar should be punished and no lawyer should take his case.

“Pawar was not part of Shiv Sena after 1999. His crime is a shameful act and the law should punish him as harshly as possible. The government should take responsibility of the girls in this school and the ashramshala should be shut immediately. And Arvind Pawar should be hanged for his misdeeds,” said Anand.