Authorities demand enhanced security at shelter homes

PRAYAGRAJ: : Security at the children shelters, including girl shelter homes, in Prayagraj, will be beefed up following recent incidents of inmates escaping from its premises. Shelter home authorities have written a letter to SSP making a formal request in this regard. The shelters come under Women and Child Development and house minor girls and boys.

In the last four months, at least six inmates, including girls, have escaped due to negligence in security at the premises. Among those who fled, only one has been traced, while the rest are still at large. Some of the inmates escaped from the hospital while undergoing treatment. Others managed to escape from the shelter homes.

In a few cases, negligence and even involvement of the staff have surfaced, which is under investigation. In one of the incidents, a teenage girl was handed over to her father but she escaped while on her way home.

Shelter home authorities, wrote a letter to concerned officials, following which police officials have been asked to enhance security. In between August and November, many inmates have fled from the shelter homes. Two boys escaped from child shelter at Rajruppur and have remained untraced despite efforts made by police. Negligence of the shelter staff was found in the incident.

Two girls managed to escape from a woman shelter at Civil Lines and are still at large. In another incident, two teenage boys fled from a child shelter at the Baluaghat locality. Meanwhile, a young girl of the state girl shelter at Khuldabad was admitted to Dufferin Hospital after she fell ill. Two home guards were deployed for her security, but the girl managed to escape. District probationary officer Pankaj Mishra said steps have been taken in this direction, and a letter has been written to SSP for increasing security at the shelter homes.

While no mobiles are allowed inside shelters, many inmates have been caught using them.