Six girls escape from juvenile home, two of them traced

Thane, Aug 30 (PTI) Six girls escaped from a government-run juvenile home in Ulhasnagar town of Maharashtra's Thane district, following which police launched a search and traced two of them, officials said on Saturday.

The incident took place on Wednesday afternoon.

The girl inmates managed to get the key of the main gate of the juvenile home and escaped when the security personnel assigned to guard the entrance were reportedly away for lunch, an official said.

The girls hailed from various areas in Thane district, including Mira-Bhayandar, and Mumbai.

Following the escape, a case was registered at the Hill Line police station, and a search operation led by Deputy Police Commissioner Sachin Gore was carried out. The police teams tracked down two of the escapees at their homes in Mira-Bhayandar and they were brought back to the juvenile home, he said.

During their questioning, the girls told the investigators that they did not want to stay at the facility, he said, adding that efforts were underway to trace the remaining four minors.

A case of kidnapping under section 137 (1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered on August 28 based on a complaint lodged by an official of the juvenile home, the official said. PTI COR NP