Laws violated, 32 children from Panipat orphanage to be shifted

PANIPAT: The Haryana women and child welfare department has decided to shift 32 children, including 30 girls, from Sandhapur Bal Anathalya (orphanage) in Panipat district.

As per the information, the decision was taken following the directions of the director of women and child welfare department.

The sources said that during the investigation, the officials found violation of certain norms of the Juvenile Justice Board.

In this regard, Panipat deuty commissioner (DC) Chander Shekhar Khare held a meeting of the officials concerned, in which it was decided that the children, who are from the age group of 1 to 20 years, will be shifted to other orphanages after a medical check up.

The DC said that all facilities related to health and education will be provided to these children as most of them will be appearing in annual exams next month.

Suman Sood, the chairman of district child welfare committee (CWC), said, “Affiliation of the orphanage has not been cancelled yet but the decision to shift children to other orphanages has been taken and the process will start soon.”

Sandhapur orphanage had remained in controversies for several times in the past. Last year in June, three minor girls went missing from the orphanage and an investigation was ordered in the matter. Also in February 2016, the CWC had filed a complaint against the head of the orphanage, Amarjeet Narwal, for alleged molestation of a 16-year-old girl inmate but later the girl changed her statement before the magistrate.