KOZHIKODE: Six girls have gone missing from the state government's Children's Home for Girls at Vellimadukunnu, Kozhikode. The group went missing on Wednesday evening.
"Police have filed a man missing case and started the investigation based on the complaint by the Children's Home superintendent. According to the complaint, five Kozhikode-based girls and one Kannur native girl, went missing after the Republic Day celebrations at the institution auditorium in the evening. The children were present for lunch and at the Republic Day function followed in the afternoon. The girls belong to the age group of 14 to 16. Police are checking CCTV footages," said Chandramohan P, SHO, Chevayur police station.
Meanwhile, the state child rights commission has registered a suo moto case in the incident. The commission member B Babitha will visit the children's home as part of the inquiry. The district police chief was directed to intensify the investigation and submit a report. The commission also directed the district child protection officer and the superintendent of children's home to submit an immediate report on the incident.
According to preliminary findings, the children had escaped from the home. Knowing that there would be a security guard near the entrance, they had reportedly jumped over the side wall using a ladder and escaped.
The missing girls had been admitted in the children's home on the instructions of the district Child Welfare Committee.
The Children's Home for Girls is located in a large compound that includes the Nirbhaya Shelter, government special homes, and a number of other government rehabilitation centres and women and child development department homes. But there is no separate compound wall or CCTV camera or security guard for each institution here.
"There is a security guard in the front near the main compound gate. The institution does not have a separate guard," said Lincy AK, the district child protection officer, Kozhikode.
The Children's Home for Girls can accommodate more than a hundred children. The present strength is 29. Many staff posts in the institution are vacant.