9 girls escape from Lucknow orphanage by cutting window grill, two brought back

LUCKNOW Nine minor girls escaped from Shriram Industrial Orphanage, an NGO based in Aliganj, by cutting open the bathroom’s window around 4am on Friday, sending authorities into a tizzy. Two among them were brought back by the police while search for the others was underway. In wake of security concerns, police and administration got the entire orphanage vacated, said officials.

While police were yet to ascertain the reason behind the girls’ escape, the orphanage superintendent alleged that a few of them who came here a few months back under Pocso cases had brainwashed the other girls to escape.

According to the police, the girls were aged between 10 and 18 years. “With the help of CCTV camera footage, the police found two girls near Purania bridge while seven remain missing. The girls are natives of adjoining districts. We have contacted their families and are conducting searches at railway stations, bus stations, and other public places,” said Braj Narayan Singh, ACP. Police sources claimed that one of the girls was seen in Ayodhya.

A case was registered at Aliganj police station under BNS 264 (A) on a complaint by the orphanage administration regarding the escape of girls, said the ACP.

Orphanage superintendent Purnima Prabhakar said the girls left the room one by one to go to the bathroom between 2am and 3am and escaped by cutting the window grill near the bathroom.

“The matter came to fore when there was a head count in the morning. One of the bathrooms was checked and the grill of the window was found to be broken,” she said.

The police were informed and officials reached the spot, after which a search was launched.

Three hours later, two girls were found waiting for a bus near the Purania crossing. One of them was said to be from Jammu while the other one was from Bahraich.

According to the superintendent, the orphanage was started in 1911 and over 100 years old. “A total of 49 girls aged between 10-18 lodged were lodged here,” said Prabhakar.

“Later in the evening, the orphanage was vacated by the police after orders from senior officials. Thirty-five girls were shifted to the Rajkiya Bal Grih in Para area of the city, ” said SHO (Aliganj) VK Tiwari.

“We did not get any notice or order before the police vacated this place. The orphanage is run from private grants. There have been previous cases of girls escaping from other shelter homes, but have they been shut,” asked the superintendent.