Day after girls’ escape, Joint Director Social Security visits Jalandhar's Gandhi Vanita Ashram

Ajay Joshi

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Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 9

A day after 45 inmates attempted escape from Gandhi Vanita Ashram Children Home, Vinni Bhullar, Joint Director, Social Security, visited the ashram and ordered for a detailed inquiry into the matter.

Sources revealed that the superintendent of the home could face a departmental action and a transfer as the girls managed to leave the home on Monday evening.

Earlier story: 45 girls escape from Gandhi Vanita Ashram

The officials, including the joint director and district programme officer (DPO), interacted with the girls on Tuesday.

The home mainly houses girls who are placed under the protection of the ashram during ongoing court cases. The inmates alleged that they were not being released even though they had attained 18 years of age. Besides, the girls also complained of improper food being served to them inside the home.

While the cops, after tracing the girls who went missing yesterday, said 45 girls had left the home, DPO Gurvinder Singh Randhawa clarified that 37 of them tried to escape in the presence of heavy security.

“Soon after the matter was probed, the girls told us that they were not being released from the home. Besides, they didn’t intend to leave the home, instead they wanted to protest outside the district court complex to lay stress about their release. After verifying the documents of all girls, it was also learnt that of 83 girls in the home, only four were 18 or above 18. To this, the girls cited that their parents have reduced their age in the documents. However, the department follows a detailed procedure before the girls can be released. In this regard, Chief Judicial Magistrate have also been apprised of the mater,” Randhawa said.

Moreover, as the girls insisted that they have turned adults and they could no longer be kept in the ashram, the officials on Tuesday also initiated proceedings to release the girls who were not minors.

An inquiry report in the matter will also be submitted to the Deputy Commissioner shortly, the DPO said.