TEAM HERALD
PORVORIM/MERCES: Stating that the Child Rights Committee (CRC) will probe the rampage by inmates of Apna Ghar remand home in Merces on Friday, Women and Child Welfare Minister Dilip Parulekar said the state government will work out a solution to tackle violent behaviour by inmates.
While admitting the possibility that some inmates may not be juveniles, the minister also added that inmates resort to violence without any fear of being punished, mainly due to existing laws which prohibit any punishment to minors.
“The CRC will probe the recent incident and will submit a report. The government is seized of the problem and will come out with a solution shortly,” said Parulekar.
He was reacting to Friday’s incident where 16 inmates – 14 boys and 2 girls –escaped from Apna Ghar, after going on a two-hour violent rampage following the flag hoisting ceremony on Friday morning. Later, five juvenile boys were traced at Chimbel and lodged back at the remand home.
Parulekar informed that children involved in petty crimes are admitted in the protective home.
“There is no segregation of children and all children are kept in one place. There are no birth certificates available to prove if the inmates are minor or major in age. There is a possibility that some boys or girls may not be juveniles,” he said. Parulekar also speculated on reasons for violent behaviour among inmates at Apna ghar. “Senior boys and girls instigate their juniors to resort to violence. Secondly, boys and girls are kept in the same premises. Since boys are not allowed to meet girls at Apna Ghar, they get agitated and resort to violence.”
“The existing law does not permit punishment of children. Hence, the staff employees on duty are either reluctant or scared to take action against those children who misbehave. This encourages the children to resort to violence,” reasoned the minister.
Meanwhile, the 11 inmates of Apna Ghar who were among the 16 inmates that escaped from the children’s remand home, on Liberation Day, continue to elude the police even after more than 24 hours have passed since the incident occurred.
When contacted, Old Goa police informed that their search for the 11 inmates, which also include two girls, yielded no results. “We have flashed messages across all the police stations in the state,” the police added.
