Tamil Nadu: Inmates subjected to brutal torture, rape at Villupuram shelter

Two violent monkeys were unleashed upon officers when they went to inspect Anbu Jothi Ashram

Anbu Jothi Ashram, a care home in Villupuram, Tamil Nadu, has been revealed to be a chamber of horrors after it was discovered that several inmates of the facility were being tortured and raped regularly, besides monkeys being set on them.

In a report published by Times of India, it has been revealed that 142 residents of the establishment were rescued, which included one boy besides 109 men and 33 women.

Some of the volunteers who helped government officials rescue the inmates later revealed to TOI that some of the women were raped while others were chained and subjected to brutal torture.

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B Jubin and J Maria, the owners of the home, had set monkeys on the officials who came to inspect the establishment based on a complaint they had received. However, the monkeys bit them instead, resulting in Jubin and Maria being hospitalized.

The volunteers later revealed the stories of horrific they were told by the inmates. One of them, who hails from Odisha, said she was taken to Anbu Jothi Ashram by a ‘rescue’ group after she arrived in Villupuram to seek alms. She was held captive for a period of five years, in which she was tortured and raped on several occasions.

R Lalitha, a Social Awareness Society for Youth volunteer, said about the aforementioned woman: "When she tried to resist, the employees set on them two ferocious monkeys the owner kept in a cage”. Lalitha went on to divulge that a number of inmates were drugged and chained to window grills and then raped. Some of them were also thrashed with iron rods.

The team of volunteers also discovered that around 15 people were missing from the shelter without any record about them whatsoever. A volunteer reported that the unregistered shelter picked up destitutes in a van in and around Villupuram.

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The aforementioned volunteer, R Lalitha, told TOI, “They lure them with three meals a day and a decent job under a safe roof. As soon as they reach the place, the destitute are drugged and tonsured to make them appear ‘mentally challenged’ to avoid suspicion from government authorities, and visitors”.

She further added, “Though many inmates were writhing in pain they couldn’t remember how they were injured. Later some of the women told us they were raped when they were unconscious. Some of them were in their teens when brought to the home. Also, we could see children living with their parents who were labelled as mentally challenged”.

Muthumaari, a warder of the shelter, Gopinath, a computer operator, an attendant called Iyyappan, and a driver called Biju have been arrested by the police. Besides the proprietors, two other people have also been booked.