HYDERABAD:The State home at Allwyn Colony near Kukatpally in Jagathgirigutta Police limits was lying shut for several months before it was reopened.
The imposing multi-storeyed structure spread across four acres has a capacity of over 300 persons, but houses 56 rescued children. Apart from two police constables each, in the day and night, there are few counselors, social workers, staff, and doctors etc. who keep them engaged.
The rescue home was recently reopened for rehabilitating minors rescued as part of Operation Muskan. But, 25 of them managed to escape on the night of July 15. However, 13 boys were brought back on the next day from nearby localities.
“They are from the streets. What can one expect of them other than being street smart? By removing the iron bars on a window, they managed to escape. No one heard them break open the window as they clapped thoroughly diverting the attention of police outside making them believe that they are playing.
They climbed the high walls of the campus into the adjoining construction area and escaped,” said a staffer at the home on Saturday. Aged between 10 and 15, these are boys who have either run away from homes or forcefully thrown into streets by fate.
Some were begging, others were rag pickers while some were rescued from labour and a few were petty criminals. “They are given good facilities and food which they have been deprived of. They have leisure time, games time, counseling and motivational sessions, compulsory medical checkup etc.
They have a routine here which is new for them,” said the staffer explaining what might have gone wrong. However, the children rescued from streets appear to have gained everything and lost freedom. “We have to keep them locked up in the building because they might want to run away. But they do have outdoor games-time in the evening. It is a rehabilitation home and after this month, they will go away,” he added.
Jagathgirigutta Police have registered a case on Thursday. “Thirteen boys of the total 25 who escaped, are still missing. All of them are minors and we have our search teams on the job,” N Narasimha Reddy, assistant commissioner of Police, Balanagar said on Saturday.
