UN peacekeepers from India in Muhanga, Rwanda. (AFP)

New Delhi, Aug. 13: The Indian Army is today scrambling to cover its shame on the world stage after an investigation by the UN found evidence of child abuse by troops of a unit deployed for peacekeeping in Congo between mid-2007 and early 2008.

The report was sent to the Indian foreign ministry yesterday.

Today, UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon’s office said he was “deeply troubled by the outcome of an investigation by the Office of the Internal Oversight Services, which has revealed prima facie evidence that members of one of the peacekeeping units of the Indian contingent previously assigned to the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo may have engaged in sexual exploitation and abuse”.

Indian Army headquarters had earlier started an internal inquiry on its own since the UN office for internal oversight services began a probe in March this year. Defence minister A.K. Antony asked the army to ensure that “the allegations are promptly and thoroughly investigated in a time-bound manner”.

In a statement from his office, the UN secretary general said: “Such behaviour, if substantiated, is wholly unacceptable and disciplinary action to the maximum degree permitted by Indian law should be taken as soon as possible.”

The UN statement noted that the Indian government had “assured the UN that the allegations will be promptly and thoroughly investigated and, if proven, strict and exemplary action would be taken as per the law”.

Last month, the Indian Army had dismissed the allegations but late last night, anticipating a strong statement from the UN secretary general, army sources said they had received reports of sexual exploitation including child abuse.

The troops were part of a division commanded by an Indian officer, Major General Bikramjit Singh.