Srinagar, Sept 8: In the backdrop of illegal shelter homes being raided in Bihar's Muzaffarpur and Uttar Pradesh's Deoria, another such case has emerged from Jammu & Kashmir, where 20 children were rescued from an illegal shelter home in Kathua district.

According to reports, the children were allegedly molested at the shelter home. The J&K police is conducting an examination to validate the charge. The children, including 8 girls and 12 boys, have been kept at the Nari Niketan and Bal Ashram respectively, said Deputy Commissioner Rohit Khajuria.

The police has also arrested the administrator of the shelter home, who claimed to be from Kerala. Hs interrogation is underway. Khajuria claimed that he had falsely claimed to be linked with a church in Pathankot.

"Man running the hostel arrested taken in custody. FIR lodged against him. He was claiming he's affiliated with some church in Pathankot. When our officers enquired from the Pathankot church,they denied it. Hostel was unregistered. Man claims to be from Kerala," the Deputy Commissioner told news agency ANI.

Earlier this year, a massive outrage erupted across the nation after a Bakarwal community girl, aged 8, was brutally gangraped and murdered in Kathua. Personnel of the J&K police were also chargesheeted in the CID probe.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 08, 2018 04:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).