Harassed, minor girl sent for counselling, mother cries foul

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, December 7

A widow has accused Sangur cops and officials of the District Child Protection Department of illegally detaining her minor daughter. The girl had lodged a sexual harassment case against her uncle last year. The woman met the SSP and also sent letters to other senior authorities regarding the incident.

SSP Sandeep Garg said, “She met me and submitted her complaint against the District Child Protection Officer and others for taking her daughter in illegal custody. I have marked the inquiry to Gurmeet Singh, SP, Punjab Bureau of Investigations (PBI), and sought a detailed report.”

The woman mentioned in her complaint, “Since Friday, I, along with my family, have been running from pillar to post to know the whereabouts of my daughter as officials have sent her to some undisclosed location. Officials are not disclosing anything as they want to help the accused, who was booked on the complaint of my daughter.”

Navneet Kaur Toor, District Child Protection Department, Sangrur, denied the allegations. “The girl has been sent to a special home for counselling. We can’t disclose the location of the child,” she said.

Advocate Manjit Singh, who accompanied the complainant, alleged that the officials concerned must have disclosed the location to her mother. “If officials want to send the minor girl to counselling home, they must inform her mother,” he said.

When contacted, Chanchal Kumari, chairman of the Child Welfare Committee of Sangrur, denied the allegations. She said, “On the directions of the District and Sessions Judge, we have sent the minor girl for counselling for four or five days. The girl is safe. Her mother is leveling baseless allegations.”