Gumla: Three juveniles escaped from the Silam Juvenile Observation Home in Jharkhand’s Gumla district on Friday, allegedly by scaling the boundary wall of the facility, triggering concerns over security arrangements at the remand home.
According to officials, two of the escaped juveniles are from Lohardaga district, while the third belongs to the Ghaghra police station area of Gumla district.
Authorities said two of the juveniles had been lodged at the observation home in connection with serious criminal cases, while the third was detained in a theft-related matter.
The incident created panic among district authorities, following which an alert was issued across the region. District Child Protection Officer and observation home in-charge Amar Kumar informed the police immediately after the escape came to light.
Officials suspect the juveniles may have sustained injuries while climbing over the high boundary wall during their escape.
Police stations in Gumla and nearby districts have since been placed on high alert, and search operations are being conducted at several suspected locations. Police teams are also in touch with the families of the juveniles as part of efforts to trace them quickly.
The incident has once again raised questions over the security infrastructure at the observation home. Similar escape incidents have reportedly occurred at the facility in the past, after which inquiry committees were constituted and assurances were made to improve surveillance and security measures.
However, officials admitted that the latest escape has exposed continuing loopholes in monitoring and security management at the institution.
An internal inquiry has been ordered to determine how the juveniles managed to breach security and flee from the premises. Authorities said efforts are underway to apprehend the absconding juveniles at the earliest.
With inputs from IANS