UP teen rescued in Delhi made to wait 7 hours as cops disputed jurisdiction

Delhi's Child Welfare Committee took a “very serious view” of the handling of the girl’s case and issued show-cause notices to respective SHOs.

A 15-year-old girl who had run away from her home in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur and was rescued at Kashmere Gate was allegedly made to wait for nearly seven hours as Delhi Police officers disputed jurisdiction over her case, causing her “harassment and trauma”, according to a Delhi Child Welfare Committee (CWC) order.

Personnel Kashmere Gate Metro police station arrived, “but kept shifting the jurisdiction between themselves. (Sanjeev Verma/Hindustan Times)

CWC, in an order dated August 12 accessed by HT, took a “very serious view” of the handling of the girl’s case and issued show-cause notices to the station house officers (SHOs) of Kashmere Gate and Kashmere Gate Metro police stations and the in-charge of the ISBT police post. The deputy commissioners of police (north and metro) as well as the three officers to whom the show cause notice has been served did not respond to HT’s calls and messages for comment.

The three officers have been directed to appear before the committee on August 19 with written explanations and action taken reports (ATRs). According to the order, the girl left her home in Saharanpur on August 9 without informing her parents, boarded a train and reached Old Delhi Railway Station later that night. She stayed at the station and subsequently went towards Jama Masjid and Kashmere Gate. Around 12.30pm on August 11, an unidentified man allegedly tried to lure her on the pretext of offering her a job. A “Good Samaritan”, identified as Raja rescued the girl and handed her to the Child Helpline booth at Kashmere Gate around 4.30pm. The helpline subsequently called 112 between 5pm and 6pm.

Police allegedly shifted jurisdiction

However, personnel from Kashmere Gate police station, its police post and Kashmere Gate Metro police station arrived, “but kept shifting the jurisdiction between themselves. “Due to this jurisdictional dispute, the child was kept waiting unnecessarily till midnight,” the CWC said. Officials aware of the matter said she was eventually taken to an observation home around 2.30am on August 12.

The report, separately examined by CWC, also recorded that the girl was taken to several locations identified by her along with police personnel. At the ISBT police post, the in-charge allegedly behaved in an “inappropriate and disrespectful manner” with Child Helpline staff and refused to acknowledge a written statement recorded on the basis of the girl’s disclosure.

The staff alleged that they were threatened and told that the child could be turned against them and action could be taken against them. They also alleged that the officer questioned their manner of working and made remarks that left them “embarrassed and humiliated”. CWC has sought an explanation for the alleged “inappropriate, threatening and humiliating conduct” and the refusal to acknowledge the girl’s statement. The committee also questioned what it termed an “attempt to bypass the statutory procedure of CWC” by arranging for the girl to be handed directly to her parents at the observation home.

According to the report, after the girl was taken to the shelter home around 2.15-2.30am, an investigating officer called her parents and instructed that she be handed over to them. Child Helpline staff allegedly told the officer that under the prescribed child protection procedure, the girl had to first be produced before CWC. The report alleged that police told the parents: “Do not listen to them; we are the police, you have to listen to us. We work for you.” CWC has sought explanations on why the girl was kept waiting until midnight, why an ATR was not prepared on the alleged attempt to lure her for labour or trafficking, and why no explanation was sought regarding the alleged misconduct towards Child Helpline staff.

The girl was medically examined and provided night shelter around 2am on August 12. Before CWC, she identified her father and expressed a desire to return home. The committee found him to be a fit person and natural guardian and ordered that she be restored to her parents. The restoration was made conditional on the father furnishing a written undertaking to ensure her safety, care, protection and education, and not subjecting her to abuse, neglect or labour. CWC also directed the corresponding unit in Saharanpur to submit a follow-up report within a month.

The three police officers have been asked to appear before the committee on August 19 with their written explanations and ATRs.