BANGALORE: Juveniles held the police and staffers of the Juvenile Observation Home in Madiwala for ransom for over three hours on Tuesday night. After their bid to escape was foiled, they set the furniture on fire and tried to cut their veins with razors and glass to keep the police at bay. However, the police stood helplessly as cops wearing uniform are not supposed to enter juvenile homes.
According to police, some children asked the warden Komala to unlock them from their barrack at 10 pm as they wanted to go to bathroom. She checked the bathroom and found its window grills cut. She informed the matter to the police. When the police came, 18 children at the home asked the warden to not let the police inside. “They also dumped beds, pillows and other things in front of the barrack and set them on fire asking the police to go back. Some of them even tried to cut their veins and t doctors were called for their treatment,” the police explained.
They were pacified by Narasimhaiah, the Superintendent of the home.
The drama ended at 3 pm. The police were mute spectators, sources said. Later, a complaint was lodged with Madiwala police.Goods worth `30,000 were gutted in the fire.
Two of the three juveniles who had attempted suicide recently were present during the Tuesday’s incident.