Uttar Pradesh: 24 girls rescued from shelter home in Deoria, 3 held

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday ordered the removal of Deoria's district magistrate Sujit Kumar after 24 girls were rescued from a shelter home in the district after an allegation of their sexual exploitation came to light.

Girija Tripathi and her husband Mohan Tripathi, who operated the shelter home, and its superintendent Kanchanlata were arrested, police said.

Rita Bahuguna Joshi, UP Women and Child Welfare Minister said CM has sent a two-member high-level committee to Deoria for the investigation. They will stay there today and submit a report, following which action will be taken.

This case comes close on the heels of alleged sexual abuse of young girls at a state-funded shelter home in Bihar's Muzaffarpur.

"Twenty-four girls were recused yesterday from the shelter home at station road in the name of Ma Vindhyawasini Mahila Prakishan evam Samaj Sewa Sansthan, which has 42 inmates. Eighteen inmates are still missing. We have sealed it," Superintendent of Police Rohan P Kanay said.

The activities at the shelter home came to the fore after a girl managed to flee and informed police about the plight of the inmates.

"Many times white, black and red cars used to come and take away the girls. When they returned in the morning, they used to cry," the girl alleged according to news agency PTI.

The SP Deoria was directed by the UP Police Headquarters in Lucknow to take stern action against the culprits.

The medical test of the children would be carried out by a woman doctor and their statement would be recorded before a magistrate.  

The alleged sexual abuse of young girls at a state-funded shelter-home in Bihar's Muzaffarpur recently came to light, following which 14 officials were suspended on account of their "negligence and dereliction of duty" after a massive public outcry and opposition attack.