Greater Noida: The Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) of Gautam Budh Nagar on Thursday pulled up the Greater Noida police for detaining a nine-year-old boy in connection with an auto-rickshaw theft.
According to JJB officials, the boy, along with two of his ‘accomplices’, was detained by the Knowledge Park police on Wednesday night in connection with the theft.
“The kid is nine-year-old, but looks even younger. How would he steal an auto when he can’t even drive one? There is absolutely no evidence of his involvement in the incident,” said Aneet Baghel, a JJB member.
The board has asked police officials to be careful about detaining a child in the future. Though the boy was released immediately on an interim bail in the care of his family, JJB told the police that as the child’s offence warrants a punishment of less than seven years, he should have been granted bail directly from the police station according to the regulations.
Police officials, however, said that the juvenile is a repeat offender.
{{/usCountry}}Police officials, however, said that the juvenile is a repeat offender.
{{/usCountry}}“He has gone to juvenile detention home earlier also from Dadri police station, and that is why he was presented to the board,” said Umesh Bahadur Singh, station house officer, Knowledge Park police station.
The police officials said that there is evidence of the boy being involved with a gang who use him to lure victims through sympathy and then rob them of their valuables. However, based on instructions of the board, the child has now been released in the care of his family who lives in Dadri, said the police.
Meanwhile, JJB has also instructed the police department to get all juvenile detainees checked for Covid-19 before they are brought for hearing. So far, 17 children in the juvenile home located in Phase 2 have tested positive for Covid-19, of whom 13 have already recovered.
In case a child is found positive, he/she is taken for treatment, else can be sent for remand custody, said the JJB officials. Efforts are also being made to release as many offenders as possible on interim bail to keep the number of detainees to a minimum, they added.