Two Missing Girls Rescued from Gajapati After Fleeing Berhampur Child Care Institute
In a swift police operation, two girls who had gone missing from Utkal Balashram, a child care institute in Berhampur, were successfully rescued from Gajapati district on Saturday. The children, aged 12 and seven, originally hail from the Ramnagar area of Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district. This incident has sparked renewed concerns about the security protocols at the institute, marking the second such escape in the last six months.
Background of the Incident
On Tuesday, police had rescued nine children—six girls and three boys—who were found begging in Berhampur. Upon the direction of the district child welfare committee (CWC), these minors were housed in Utkal Balashram. However, two of the girls managed to escape from the institute by scaling its boundary wall between 3:20 pm and 3:40 pm on the same day. The matter came to light in the evening when Sasmita Rani Padhi, the superintendent of the Balashram, lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at the Gosaninuagaon police station.
Police Response and Rescue Operation
Acting promptly on the report, a special police team was immediately formed to track the missing minors. Saravana Vivek M, the Superintendent of Police (Berhampur), stated, "Following an intensive search and the activation of reliable local intelligence networks, the team found them in Sidamadam village under Paralakhemundi police station limits." After being rescued, the girls were again housed in Utkal Balashram after being produced before the CWC, as confirmed by police officials.
Inquiry into Security Lapses
On Saturday, district child protection officer Rajashree Das, upon the direction of Ganjam collector V Keerthi Vasan, conducted an inquiry to determine how the girls managed to flee the institute. Das mentioned, "The report will be submitted to the collector soon." Currently, the institute houses 46 inmates and employs 15 staff members, including three security personnel. This incident has raised significant questions about the adequacy of its security measures, especially given a similar escape last year.
Previous Security Concerns
This marks the second escape incident at Utkal Balashram in the last six months. On October 20 last year, two inmates, who were victims in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case, fled the institute. One of them has a child, and both remain untraced, according to sources. These repeated breaches highlight ongoing vulnerabilities in the institute's security framework, prompting calls for stricter oversight and improved safety protocols to protect vulnerable children in care.
