NEW DELHI: More than 10 days after nine girls went missing from an ashram here, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), on Thursday, summoned Delhi’s Deputy Commissioner of Police, asking him to appear before it on December 18 with a status report on the investigation in the matter.
Eight women and a minor girl were reported missing from Sanskar Ashram, a shelter home in east Delhi’s Dilshad Garden area on December 2.
Stressing that it was a matter of violation of women’s rights and that the commission was authorised to investigate and examine, DCW Chief Swati Maliwal asked the DCP (Crime Branch) to appear before the commission with a status report on the investigation in the matter, a copy of the entire case file and any other relevant records.
She said it was “shocking” and “extremely unfortunate” that the police was unable to trace the girls. “The manner in which such a large number of girls went missing from their home and nobody appears to have any clue raises doubts on the connivance of the home staff,” she added.
“The lapse of the home authorities in securing the home is extremely serious and warrants immediate intervention...the possibility of the traffickers/brothels owners kidnapping these girls in connivance with the Home staff needs to be investigated,” she said in the letter. It added that in case the order is not complied with, the commission shall be constrained insititure proceedings against the Crime Branch office.