'Reformed' life convict back behind bars for sexual abuse

Bangalore, July 13 (UNI) A 'reformed' life convict, who had spent ten years in jail in connection with a murder case, is again behind the bars since yesterday on the charge of sexually abusing girls in his residential school.

P P Ramesh, a self-styled 'human rights and social activist', was arrested when parents of some girl students of 'Mamata Makkala Mane' and 'Jyoti Makkala Mane', free hostels run by him near Bannerghatta on the outskirts of the city, alleged that he had sexually abused their children.

The arrested, under the garb of a good Samaritan, had raised donations to open the two residential schools and there were about 70 students, including 30 girls, mainly hailing from poor families of migrant workers from North Karnataka.

Police said Ramesh, who had also started a rights forum 'Karnataka State Human Rights Trust', allegedly used to take some girls forcibly to his house, abuse them and caution them not to speak about it.

However, unable to bear the harassment, the children reported the matter to their parents, who in turn lodged a police complaint.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Women and Child Welfare Minister H K Kumaraswamy promised the Legislative Assembly that the children would be sent for medical test and if the charges were proved, action would be taken against the arrested. Mr G V Srirama Reddy of the CPI(M), who raised the issue of the 'shocking incidents', demanded stringent action against the accused.

The Minister confirmed that the accused had not taken any permission from the Government to run such residential schools.

UNI