KUALA LUMPUR: Police investigations into some of the welfare homes raided earlier have led to claims of sodomy and abuse against children.
Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said based on the intelligence gathered they gathered, some victims were sodomised by their caregivers.
"We also received information that they were also taught the act of sodomy and forced to sodomise other children in the home," he told a press conference on Wednesday.
He said their investigations also revealed that children who were ill were allegedly not allowed to seek medical care until they were in critical condition.
"There was also information that some stubborn children were allegedly burnt with heated objects.
"They also used the religious sentiment to get people's sympathy and collect donations," he said, adding that there were at least three or four children who suffered burns on their arms from what is believed to be a heated metal spoon.
He said their intelligence revealed that some staff also touched the bodies of the children, claiming that they were performing medical procedures.
"So far, 19 police reports have been lodged in Selangor, 13 at Negri Sembilan, one at Perlis, three at Kedah, two at Penang, one in Melaka, one in Johor, five at Pahang, two in Terengganu and one at Sabah.
"We received information that some members of the company were allegedly threatened when they left," he said, adding that they were locating victims who retracted their reports.
Earlier today, Razarudin told reporters in Kuantan that police rescued 402 minors from alleged exploitation and abuse, including sexual abuse, in a major operation across two states today, codenamed Op Global.
The victims, aged between one and 17, were allegedly exploited at 20 welfare homes in Selangor and Negri Sembilan.
The victims allegedly suffered punishment with heated metal objects and inappropriate touching under the guise of religious medical treatment, Razarudin said.