SCPCR seeks raids across State

Following the recent case of illegal trade of children at a shelter home, owned and managed by Missionaries of Charity here, the State Commission for Protection for Child Rights (SCPCR) is gearing up to launch a massive assessment drive for checking the functioning of all shelter homes.

The nodal agency for protection of child rights had written to Chief Secretary, Sudhir Tripathi to conduct raids covering all shelter homes, NGOs (Private and Government) operating across the State for collecting first hand inputs about its nature of operation.

“The letter was sent to the Chief Secretary on July 5. In order to bust the vicious cycle of child trafficking, it has become mandatory to conduct raids, covering all shelter homes of Jharkhand. The Commission will ensure that within a stimulated time, the assessment of all shelter homes get complete,” said, SCPCR Chairperson, Arti Kujur.

Meanwhile, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Ranchi Unit Head, Rupa Verma on Saturday said that the investigation is on in the Nirmal Hriday child sale case. “After vacating the two shelter homes – Nirmal Hriday and Shishu Sadan, the children, at present are in the custody of CWC. As of now, we are just conducting raids; none of the shelter homes have been sealed. At present, our priority is to provide safe place to the rescued children,” added Verma.

In addition, the district administration has constituted an eight-member team to investigate the case. Soon Ranchi DC, Rai Mahimapat Ray will review the report. According to the sources, the committee has prepared a detailed report of shelter homes covering basic facilities available at the homes to the grant at present being given to these shelter homes here. 

As per the record, in the Capital City alone as many as 18 registered shelter homes are operating, of which, four shelter homes namely – Balashray ITI Campus, Premashray, ST Sewa Mandal including Nari Niketan receives grant from the State government. After preliminary investigation of the CWC, the police on July 4 arrested Anima Indwar – a woman staff accused of selling an infant. Indwar has confessed her crime that she had sold an infant to the couple based in Uttar Pradesh. A sister working at Nirmal Hriday has also been arrested.