Karnataka - Bangalore   

Five boys escape from remand home

Bangalore: In the second such incident in three months, five boys escaped from the remand home coming under the Madiwala Police Station limits on Friday morning.

The boys are aged between 15 and 17 years, according to the police.

The guards at the remand home were cleaning the yard and had kept the gate open. The boys are reported to have seized this opportunity to escape.

The police said one of the boys had escaped from the home three times earlier. “The boys had just bathed and were coming out, when they saw the gate open. They hoodwinked the two security guards and escaped through the main gate,” a police official said.

The official said separate teams were deployed to look for the juvenile offenders. Police personnel have been stationed at the bus and railway stations.

The police are also in touch with the families of the boys. In January this year, 46 children had escaped from the remand home.

The State Government had then found a justification for the incident: Shortage in the number of security staff. Just three months ago, three other juveniles had also escaped from the same home. The State Government had done little to address the problem, charged child welfare activists.

“There have been reports of police abuse of many of these children but no action has been taken to protect them.

Moreover, the State Government has not taken steps to implement the Integrated Child Protection Scheme introduced by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in Karnataka,” an activist working for child rights told The Hindu. She added that no attempts were made by the Government to find out why these children were running away from the remand homes.

“Last time when the children ran away, it was suggested that the younger boys be separated from the older ones, to prevent abuse and harassment. But that has not been done. Moreover, these youngsters have a lot of energy and it has not been channelled in a proper way. They have to be kept occupied with constructive activities and need proper guidance,” she said.

When contacted, Shalini Rajneesh, Secretary, Women and Child Development said she had asked the officers concerned to give a report on the issue. “I will take a decision based on the report,” she said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Bangalore software exports to touch Rs. 70,000 crore this fiscal
Five boys escape from remand home
Results announced
Compensation for dead policemen’s families
Watershed scheme planned in six districts
Weavers in Doddaballapur town face an uncertain future
Reservation for disabled: State to move apex court
FKCCI not member of elite bodies
‘Appoint representative citizen’s committee’
Making out a case for regional languages
A ‘green’ wedding
Deck yourself up this Diwali
‘Sampoorn’ slice of India at crafts mela
Bringing out the Dasara spirit
Certificates

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu