9 girls escape from Lucknow orphanage by cutting window grilles, two brought back

LUCKNOW Nine minor girls escaped from Shriram Industrial Orphanage, an NGO based in Aliganj, by opening the toilet window around 4 am on Friday, plunging authorities into a state of panic. Two of them were brought back by the police while the search for the others was underway. Due to security concerns, police and administration evacuated the entire orphanage, officials said.

While the police had not yet determined the reason for the girls’ escape, the director of the orphanage said that some of them, who came here a few months ago as part of the Pocso cases, had brainwashed the other girls into escaping.

Police say the girls were between the ages of 10 and 18. “Through CCTV camera footage, police found two girls near Purania Bridge while seven are still missing. The girls come from neighboring neighborhoods. We have contacted their families and are conducting searches at railway stations, bus stations and other public places,” said Braj Narayan Singh, ACP. Police sources claimed that one of the girls was seen in Ayodhya.

A case was registered at Aliganj police station under BNS 264 (A) following a complaint filed by the orphanage administration regarding the escape of girls, the ACP said.

Orphanage director Purnima Prabhakar said the girls left the room one by one to go to the toilet between 2 am and 3 am and escaped by cutting the window grille near the bathroom.

“The matter came to light during the head count in the morning. One of the bathrooms was checked and the window grill was found to be broken,” she said.

The police were informed and authorities arrived at the scene, after which a search was launched.

Three hours later, two girls were found waiting for a bus near the Purania crossing. One of them is said to be from Jammu while the other is said to be from Bahraich.

According to the director, the orphanage was opened in 1911 and is over 100 years old. “A total of 49 girls aged between 10 and 18 years have been accommodated here,” Prabhakar said.

“Later in the evening, the orphanage was evacuated by the police on orders from senior officials. Thirty-five girls were shifted to Rajkiya Bal Grih in Para area of ​​the city,” said SHO (Aliganj) VK Tiwari.

“We did not receive any notice or order before the police left the scene. The orphanage is run thanks to private subsidies. There have been previous cases of girls escaping from other foster homes, but have they been closed down,” the director asked.