Keonjhar/Joda: At least 10 children have fled Ashirbad Boys’ Home, a short-stay home for the children at Keonjhar, Sunday night sparking resentment among locals.
In the meantime, parents of some of the kids alleged that police had picked up school students in the name of rescue under the Muskaan campaign.
According to reports, members of the child welfare committee (CWC) with the help of police rescued 44 children who were working in various eateries, garages and other firms. They were put up at Ashirbad Boys’ Home Sunday night.
However, 10 of them fled the home complaining substandard food served to them, it was learnt Monday morning.
Though the shelter centre authorities informed the CWC Monday morning, the kids were yet to be traced.
On the other hand, the parents who had come to receive their children expressed shock over the lapse on the part of the authorities concerned and lodged complaints with the district administration.
Though the shelter home authorities claimed two boys came back in the evening, locals expressed resentment as no police complaints were made in this regard.
When contacted, superintendent Bikram Barik of the centre said the CWC was apprised of the development.
Giving a clean chit to the centre, Barik said the CWC and police had put up the kids Sunday night even after they were clearly told that the Centre was running out of space to accommodate fresh children.
CWC chairperson Dushmant Jena said the boy’s home was asked to lodge a police complaint.
However, in a shocking revelation, Jamuna Samanta, the mother of one of the missing kids, said police have picked up her child when he was playing after return from school.
“My child studies in Joda Hill Top School. Police picked him and his friends up while they were playing in the afternoon after school hours. They first took the kids to Joda police station and later to Keonjhar. When objected, police asked us to come to Keonjhar to get their children,” Samanta said.
However, the kids are missing now in Keonjhar and they are clueless as to how to get them, said Lalita Lohar, another woman.
PNN