Inmates’ safety an issue at Apna Ghar

Inmates’ safety an issue at Apna Ghar
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: The minor Assamese boy who ran away from Apna Ghar last week claimed he was “assaulted” at the observation home. He is not the first to make such an allegation, and past inquiries have found evidence to confirm such complaints.
The boy had been sent to Apna Ghar for criminal trespass at the naval premises in Bogda, Vasco and intent to commit a criminal offence. The bail application filed by before the juvenile justice board (JJB) on Friday after his rearrest, at the Vasco railway station, states that he was “assaulted” at Apna Ghar. The principal magistrate orally instructed the Apna Ghar staff to ensure that the boy was “given protection”.
Apna Ghar was established with the objective of providing care, protection, treatment, development and rehabilitation of neglected or delinquent juveniles, and for the adjudication of matters relating to children in conflict with the law, but it seems that the goal has not been achieved. ‘Kids not given chance to reform’
Panaji: Apna Ghar was started to ensure development and rehabilitation of neglected or delinquent juveniles, however, past inquiries have revealed complaints of abuse by inmates.
Snehlata Bhatikar, a member of the juvenile justice board said, “The approach towards children at Apna Ghar is punitive, as if they are in prison. They are treated like thieves and never given an opportunity to improve. The staff often beat the children, misbehave with them and use abusive language, due to which children turn aggressive, beat up others or create a ruckus.”
An inquiry conducted by the JJB in 2007 on a previous complaint of assault by fellow mates at Apna Ghar, revealed that the juvenile was “sodomized by an inmate of the observation home and subjected to oral sex by other inmates”.
The report also stated that “the safety of the child has not been looked into inspite of his repeated complaints about the abuse to the staff of observation home”. Says Bhatikar, “At present kids abuse others at Apna Ghar and if this continues it won’t be long before we hear of juvenile delinquents killing others, or committing suicide. In the last few months several children either escaped from the home or were sent to IPHB for treatment. This needs to be investigated as it defeats the purpose of having a state run home to protect and correct children.”
Women and Child director Sanjiv Gadkar, however, pleads ignorance of such incidents at Apna Ghar. He said, “I have not received any report of any assault by any child at Apna Ghar.”
Staff of Apna Ghar too have been accused of abusing minors. Recently, Children’s Rights in Goa, an NGO working with children in the state moved an application for a magisterial inquiry before the JJB.
The complaint says that during their visit to Apna Ghar on October 4, 2008, they were informed that one of the inmates was admitted at the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour, Bambolim after being assaulted.
“On probing the incident it was revealed that two juveniles were assaulted by the care taker of Apna Ghar with a cricket stump. One was hit on the head and his hands and sustained grievous injuries,” says the complaint.
The NGO’s application states that this happened because the juveniles insisted they wanted to watch TV. So far, no order has been passed.

January 12,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition