Rescue of 402 physically and sexually abused children and adolescents in Malaysia

Inspector General of Police Razaruddin Hussain said the victims were between the ages of one and 17, the BBC reported. It is said that the victims had to endure various forms of abuse and some were forced to sexually abuse other children.

Those care homes are allegedly linked to a major Islamic group . But the Islamic group issued a statement saying that it will not accept any wrongdoing.

According to Inspector General of Police Hussain, police raided 20 welfare homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan states on Wednesday. Earlier this month, reports of child abuse, abuse and sexual abuse at another care home in Negeri Sembilan state came to light.

Razarudin said some of the suspects, aged between 17 and 64, said they abused children and said it was part of religious treatment. According to him, some children were taught to perform similar sexual activities on other children in the house.

"Children were punished using hot metal objects" and those who were sick were given treatment until their condition became serious, he said. Rajarudin said the children will be temporarily kept at a police station in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and will undergo health checks.

The BBC reports that preliminary investigations show that many children are placed in care homes by their parents for religious education.

The raids on 20 care homes come days after police launched an investigation into the Global Islamic Ikhwan Group (GISB) business group over allegations of child abuse. After that, the police confirmed that both incidents are connected.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Ayub Khan Maidin Pichai has said that the modus operandi of GISB in the preliminary investigation is to set up a welfare house to collect donations . The group denied the allegations in a statement posted on Facebook on Wednesday. "The company does not engage in any activity that goes against the law, especially in relation to the exploitation of children," the group said.

GISB has been operating hundreds of businesses in 20 countries. Active in hospitality, food, education sector . The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia or Suhakam has called for stricter regulations on care home operations. "The main problem is that such centers are not properly regulated or supervised," said Suhakam's Children's Commissioner Farah Nini Dusuki.