On Wednesday, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo moto cognizance of the Kottayam incident in which nine girl inmates were reported missing from the shelter home in Manganam. The girls were found at the house of one of the girl’s relatives in Elanji hours after they were reported missing.
The NHRC issued a notice to the Kerala government and the state’s police chief to look into the matter. The commission also asked its Special Rapporteur, Hari Sena Verma, to go to Kottayam and submit a report within two months including the facts related to the instant case. According to the reports, Verma has also been asked to suggest measures to avoid such incidents in the future.
NHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of 9 girls who went missing from a shelter home at Manganam in Kottayam, Kerala. When traced by police at an inmates’s residence, the girls resisted their return back to shelter home; 3rd such incident reported in Kottyam in recent months: NHRC pic.twitter.com/mUyDamdFsJ
— ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2022
The Commission noted that the inmates appear to be not satisfied or happy with their residence at the shelter home, and there is a prima facie probability of inhuman and undignified treatment being meted out to these girls at the shelter home compelling them to leave. “Reportedly, when traced by the police at the residence of one of the inmates, the girls resisted their return back to the shelter home. This is the third such incident reported from Kottayam in recent months,” it said.
The Commission also believes that there is an absence of supervision and efficient monitoring of the shelter home maintained by an NGO, Mahila Samakhya. Despite this, it is acknowledged by the Social Justice Department and the Child Welfare Committee, according to the statement.
The NHRC asserted that victims of crime may get further get exploited and trafficked for sexual exploitation if they are not under proper care and not safely housed at shelter homes.
The notice issued to the Kerala Chief Secretary seeks a report on the incident and also an action report in the case. “It should also be reported whether there was any involvement of a public servant from the department of social justice or child welfare committee to enable the girls to run away from the shelter home. The report must explain the reasons for the dissatisfaction and disillusionment of the missing girls with their stay in the said shelter home,” the notice read.
The girls escaped from a shelter managed by the NGO Mahila Samakhya, which is recognized by the State Social Justice Department and the Child Welfare Committee, on Monday morning. When the authorities arrived at their rooms at 5.30 a.m., they discovered that the girls had disappeared. Soon after, a case was filed with Kottayam East Police. Reportedly, the girls, all survivors of crimes registered under the POCSO Act, had long been protesting that they wanted to leave the shelter home.
A notification has also been given to the Kerala Director General of Police regarding the status of the missing girl’s case from Manganam in Kottayam and any arrests if any. The Commission has asked the officers to respond within two weeks.
