Another girl escapes from shelter home
No one was monitoring CCTV cam, three staff members were on duty to look after 75 inmates, says official
LUCKNOW: Even as the 15-yearold girl, who fled from the state-run shelter home for girls in Motinagar around two weeks ago, remains untraceable, another girl managed to escape from this place by scaling the wall.
LUCKNOW: Even as the 15-year-old girl, who fled from the state-run shelter home for girls in Motinagar around two weeks ago, remains untraceable, another girl managed to escape from this place by scaling the wall.
The 12-year-old inmate, who was brought here after being rescued by Childline from the Charbagh railway station on January 3, fled from the shelter home at 5:12 pm on Saturday. There are 75 inmates in this home.
Making a mockery of the home administration’s tall claims of adequate arrangements after the previous incident, the girl succeeded in scaling the wall – the same route taken by the other girl who escaped on December 22.
The 12-year-old inmate climbed on the wash basin and reached the terrace of the shelter home by taking support of a ledge. She then went on to the terrace of an adjacent residential building and fled.
NOT THE FIRST TIME
Earlier, this girl had made two attempts to escape from the shelter home during her stay, said Sudhakar Pandey, district probation officer (DPO).
“She had also escaped from a shelter home in Deoria. On Saturday evening, she escaped from the shelter home in Lucknow by climbing the wall in front of the washroom,” he said, adding: “There were three staff members on duty at the time of incident.”
Reeta Tamta, shelter home superintendent, could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
PROBE ORDERED
It’s a glaring example of negligence on part of the shelter home administration.
Adequate arrangements suggested by child rights panel after the first girl’s escape were not in place, said official.
“The CCTV camera was working,
but no one was monitoring it in the office room,” he added.
“We had suggested regular monitoring of the CCTV camera and fencing of walls. But another girl escaped from the child home. This means the safety and welfare of inmates was never a priority for the shelter home authorities,” said Vishesh Gupta, chairperson, Commission
for Protection of Child rights.
He said, “A probe has been ordered, and this time strict action will be recommended.”
The address of the girl was yet to be ascertained but she escaped the shelter home within three days.
“Earlier, she was a child beggar. We have to catch people working behind these child beggar gangs. It needs to be ascertained whether any ‘external force’ helped these girls,” said Sangeeta Sharma, representative, Childline. Meanwhile, police have lodged a missing complaint and started the search for the girl.
PROPOSAL TO FILL UP VACANCIES SOUGHT
State women and child welfare minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Monday inaugurated digital learning centres at the Motinagar child home.
“She has been apprised about the staff shortage in the shelter home, which is one of the factors behind lack of vigil on children. She has asked for a proposal to fill up the posts,” said an official. The minister also visited the Child Observation Home on Mohaan Road.
› This means the safety and welfare of inmates was never a priority for the shelter home authorities VISHESH GUPTA, chairperson, Commission for Protection of Child rights