India

British man arrested for sexually exploiting blind school kids in Delhi

Delhi: A 54-year-old British man has been arrested for sexually abusing three visually impaired children at a home run by the National Association for the Blind, a non-profit organisation in the Capital.

Police said the accused, Murray Denis Ward, has been in India since October 2016. DCP (South) Ishwar Singh said Ward started going to the school about 10 months ago, and used to “donate things like books, etc” to children there.

The suspected paedophile, Murray Dennis Ward, of Gloucestershire was taken into custody on Sunday in his rented lodging in Vasant Kunj Enclave after an employee of the children’s home caught him “red-handed” abusing the blind boys in a dormitory the previous evening, police said.

“He recorded a video of the act on his mobile phone before alerting the management,” said RP Upadhyay, the police joint commissioner of south-eastern range, on Monday.

Ward denied the charge, but the video clip goes against him.

Besides, objectionable material has been found on the suspect’s laptop, according to Chinmoy Biswal, the additional deputy joint commissioner of police (south).

“Initial investigation reveals he is a paedophile,” the officer said.

Ward was employed by a private company in Gurgaon till April this year, police said.

“In February 2017, he had suffered a paralytic attack and since then, has been under treatment. The accused, as per preliminary investigation, is found to be a paedophile,” the police said in a statement.

He taught English and communication skills voluntarily to the children, said Prashant Ranjan Verma, general secretary of the association.

“We never received a complaint against him before.”

“The employee separated Ward from the children before alerting us … When senior officials met the children and enquired on Sunday afternoon, three children confirmed the allegations.” Police were alerted thereafter.

Verma said visitors are never allowed to meet children in closed rooms. But, according to a senior investigator, Ward had access to the hostel and classes because of his long association with the organisation.

The British man was charged with legal provisions in the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act, and sent to police custody for two days.

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