The Juvenile Welfare Department is probing into the alleged illegal activities and alleged dumping of students in MJM Vocational Junior College hostels without any security and facilities. The Juvenile Welfare Department monitors the care and protection of children in homes run by the voluntary organisations, implementation of Central schemes and welfare of streetchildren. Following the allegations that illegal activities occurred in the college hostels located in Krishna district, District Probation Officer K. Bhaskar (of Juvenile Welfare Department) started inquiry into the incident.
Speaking to The Hindu on Friday, Mr. Bhaskar said inquiry would be done on whether care and protection was provided for the students in the hostels under Juvenile Justice Act, as the students were below 18 years of age.
Inquiry would also be done on sanitation and other facilities in the hostels and whether the inmates were exploited verbally or physically in hostel or on college premises by any staff or outsiders.
“We are trying to collect the details of the students and meet the MJM College staff and management too”, said the District Probation Officer.
Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Chairman Fr. Thomas Koshy told The Hindu that the committee had been constituted to inquire into the allegations and find out the facts. The committee members will visit the college, interact with the institution staff and students and submit a report soon, said Mr. Koshy. Asked whether the CWC visited the institution in view of the allegations, the committee chairman clarified that the CWC had not paid any visit to the college or its hostels so far.
“We will act based on the report submitted by the Child Rights Monitoring Cell. The report is expected in a day or two”, Fr. Koshy said.
