- 11 juvenile delinquents retrieved till late in the night
- 10 more juvenile delinquents to be apprehended yet
Nagpur: Around 21 inmates of Children’s Remand Home run by Department of Woman and Child Welfare escaped from the premises on Sunday around 9 pm on April 24, 2016. They blinded the guard by throwing chili powder at him while escaping. The children range from 7-8 years of age to just under 18. Till the filling of the report, police had nabbed 11 juvenile delinquents while 10 other juvenile delinquents are still at large.
It is learnt that the inmate juvenile delinquents, lodged in the Remand Home situated in Patankar Square in Jaripatka area as per the order of Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to reform them. Late in the night of Sunday the April 24, 2016, the juvenile delinquents who had assembled at the ground on the pretext of drying clothes had suddenly turned aggressive. The private guard, Sunil Binkar, was also present at the ground to ensure no one left the premises. Sources claimed that Sunil Binkar had joined his duties only three days back. As they escaped nine developed cold feet and returned. Since it was Sunday, most of the employees or staff was on leave. And Sunil Dinkar was not aware of the behavioural patterns of the juvenile delinquents.
Immediately after the incident, the Police Control Room was alerted and the entire police machinery swung into action. Many senior police officials and the Crime Branch squad too reached the Remand Home. NGOs like Childline and others too were alerted to activate their volunteers. The senior officers also reached the home and supervised the investigation.
The Remand Home authorities later officially declared that 21 juvenile delinquents have fled. Swift action by Jaripatka police and crime branch ensured that 11 juvenile delinquents were rounded up and nabbed. The inmates who landed in police net were brought to Jaripatka police station.
The inmates belong to the category of child in need of care and protection. Most were brought here by the agencies like Government Railway Police (GRP) after being spotted wandering alone in trains or platforms and such places.
Sources said the inmates, who likely made an escape plan, pinned down Binkar raining blows on him before and sprinkled chili powder on his face and eyes. As Binkar collapsed, the inmates ran out of the gate. Four were found hiding inside the gate but rest fled.
Did ill-treatment cause the juvenile delinquents to escape?
There was round of drama at Jaripatka police station after the 10 inmates were brought back by the cops. They started pleading with the cops to allow them to go away as they were being ill-treated at the government-run home. The inmates also underlined the fact that they were not given enough food too apart from making other complaints of irregularities and illegal activities.
Sources claimed the remand home was in tatters due to neglect. Most of the posts of staffers were lying vacant. There had been no posting of the regular guards or caretaker here and only temporary workers employed on daily wages are running the show. Last week too an inmate had fled the premises but later was found. In the past too, there had been occasion when children fled from the home in large numbers.
