Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara : In a bizarre incident, a man intoxicated his 11 year old niece, deserted her at Ara, and escaped. After regaining consciousness, the girl reached Nawada police station, Ara, on July 12, 2020, evening where she narrated her woes. She informed the Station House Officer (SHO), Nawada police station, Sanjeev Kumar, that she was an orphan as her father had died due to cancer while her mother is also dead and she lived with her uncle. She said that her uncle brought her over to Ara and gave her something to eat after which she lost her senses. When she regained her senses, she found that her uncle had deserted her.
SHO, Nawada police station, said that he got information that a minor girl was loitering on Godhana Road under Nawada police station. He immediately brought her over to the police station. The SHO further said that the girl was sent to Modi Training and Short Stay Home on K G Road with the help of Punita Singh, IPP, Inner Wheel Club, Aranya.
As per rule, whenever a minor child is found, police have to hand him/ her over to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for necessary action and the CWC will send the child to the short stay home where he/she will stay till his or her guardian comes. Provision of heavy penalty has been made if anyone does not abide by the rules and regulations. But the SHO, Nawada police station, did not even bother to inform the CWC. Instead, the SHO, called Punita Singh, IPP, Inner Wheel Club, Aranya, a private organisation, and handed over the girl to her who sent the girl to Modi Training and Short Stay Home, K G Road. Besides, name of the girl has to be kept secret but in this matter, police and even Punita Singh disclosed the name of the girl which is against the rule.
Manoj Prabhakar, Chairperson, CWC, said that police have to hand over a child to the CWC but they did not do so and it is illegal. He said that he would take legal action against police personnel concerned and Punita Singh.