Authorities have rescued over 400 children from 20 shelters around Kuala Lumpur, many of whom are believed to have been the victims of sexual abuse committed by care takers linked to a banned Islamic sect, Malaysia’s police chief revealed on Wednesday.
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The alleged victims – 201 boys and 201 girls aged between one and 17 years old – were taken to the Police Training Academy for health screenings, Inspector General of Police Razarudin Husain told a press conference in Kuantan, Pahang.
More than 170 adults charged with taking care of the children – including both men and women and imams and dorm wardens – were arrested as part of the investigation, the country’s top cop added.
“The caretakers were found to have touched the bodies of their victims, supposedly as part of a medical ritual,” Razarudin said. “The practice of indoctrinating the children using religious elements is appalling.”
He also said that victims who were sick were denied medical attention until their conditions became critical.