10 Of 26 Missing Girls Located, Officials Suspended In Bhopal Children's Home Case

After 26 girls were reported missing from a children's home in Bhopal, Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh confirmed that 10 of the missing girls, residents of Ayodhya Nagar, Madhya Pradesh, have been located. Assuring the public, Singh mentioned, "Other girls will also return home soon."

The investigation uncovered that the children's home was operating illegally, lacking registration or recognition. Forty-one girls from the facility have been relocated to a government shelter. Singh stated, "An FIR has been filed against the director under the JJ Act, and he is undergoing interrogation. All the girls are safe, and strict action will be taken against those found guilty."

In response to this, Bhopal Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh suspended two officials and issued a show cause notice to two others linked to the illicitly operating children's home. The suspended officials, Brijendra Pratap Singh and Komal Upadhyay, face administrative action.

Earlier in the day, reports surfaced regarding the disappearance of the 26 girls from the Anchal Children's Home in the Parwalia area, situated approximately 20 kilometers from the district headquarters.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav verified the safety and identification of the missing girls from the shelter home. He assured, "No culprit or negligent person will be spared."

Superintendent of Police Pramod Kumar Sinha, in a video message, indicated that preliminary investigations suggested the girls might have left due to homesickness. He explained, "Some registered girls may return home due to various reasons, including finding the stay uninteresting. This aspect is under further verification."

An FIR was lodged against Anil Mathew, accused of operating the children's home unlawfully, for failure to provide a registration certificate for the facility. Mathew faces charges under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015.

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan urged swift action by the state government in response to the disappearance from an unauthorized children's home in the Parwalia police station area of Bhopal. He highlighted his concerns in a social media post.