In 17 months, 17 minors escape from Yerawada observation home

The Jawaharlal Nehru Udyog Kendra, which was earlier a shelter home for destitute children, was converted into an observation home for juveniles-in-conflict-with-law in 2009. At any given time, 35 to 50 minors arrested for offences registered in Pune city and Pune rural jurisdiction are lodged at the observation home.

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The observation home falls under the Women and Child Development Department of the state government.

According to staffers at the observation home, there is no government decision at present on providing police security to observation homes across the state. Sharad Kurhade, superintendent of the observation home, said, “At present, our staffers working as caretakers double as security guards. They have no formal training and can be easily overpowered by the boys. It is also important to point that the police presence is a deterrent for the boys who want to escape.”

In 2012, two minors detained by the state’s Anti-Terrorism Squad under sections of stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act were lodged in the observation home and as per the order of the Juvenile Justice Board, security of five constables was provided to the observation home, said Kurhade.

“Even after that, Pune police continued to provide us security despite there being no such government order. But because they needed their personnel, the number of constables allotted to us kept reducing. In 2012, there were five constables. In 2013, the number was down to three and in the first half of 2014, there were only two constables who used to do two 12-hour shifts. Around July, they were taken off duty from here as they were needed for a bandobast. After that, they never joined back.”

Officials at the observation home say there have been communications at the government department level on the security issue as all the observation homes in the state remain without any proper security. “If not police, there should be at least some provision for deploying trained personnel to guard the facility.”

When contacted, Arvind Chavaria, deputy commissioner of police (Headquarters-II), said, “We would certainly look into the matter. If a solution can be worked out, we would certainly do that.”

The facility also faces another problem. In its premises, there is an old room which touches the protective wall from inside. The roof of this room has been used by boys to climb up the wall and jump outside. The authorities at the observation home have repeatedly told the Public Works Department to demolish the roof or increase the height of the wall in part, but the PWD has not taken any action to date, say officials.