An Anganwadi helper has been arrested for allegedly burning the private parts of a 3.5-year-old-boy after he urinated in his pants in Karnataka’s Tumakuru district, said the police Sunday.
The accused has been identified as Rashmi K P, 28, who worked in the Anganwadi at the Godekere village under the Tumakuru district, 128 km away from Bengaluru.
According to the Chikkanayakanahalli police, the boy had urinated in his pants and in order to discipline him, the woman allegedly burnt him with a matchstick last month. They said the boy suffered minor injuries on one of his thighs and private parts.
The incident came to light when the boy’s grandmother noticed the injuries on the boy’s body while she was giving him a bath. She informed others in the family who approached G Honnappa, the child development project officer of the district who swung into action.
According to the department’s probe, the boy had urinated in his pants on August 19. Rashmi used to threaten him against urinating and, on that specific day, she lit a matchstick and held it near the boy. The child who was sitting got scared and stood up and came in contact with the burning matchstick. He suffered injuries.
The child development department issued show cause notices to Rashmi and Anganwadi worker Nagarathnamma but they failed to respond to them. Rashmi was dismissed and Nagarathnamma was suspended.
Honnappa later filed a complaint against Rashmi who was arrested last week and has been sent to a prison in Shivamogga.