EIGHT OF the fifteen juveniles in the Koraput jail were sent for age determination test on April 13, 2010 to the District Headquarter Hospital Koraput after pressure from various organizations even including National Commission Protection of Child Rights.
These juveniles were brutally assaulted while being arrested at their villages under Narayanpatna and Bandhugaon Blocks and they have been confined in Koraput Jail with other criminals since November 2009.
The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Laxmipur, confirms Sana Huika, Puvala Malati, Mandingi Sima, Himirika Madana and Toma Bingadika were declared as Juveniles on April 26, 2010. The JMFC took into account the school leaving certificates of the four (the photo copies of the certificate are in possession of this author) and the medical report of one, before declaring them as juveniles.
The judge also declared that it was a grave error to put those minors in a regular jail with criminals. However, five minors were shifted to the juvenile home at Berhampur after two days. It is quite strange that, out of fifteen children, only eight have been sent for Age determination test on April13, 2010 after five months of their detention and only five were confirmed as juveniles and the other children are confined inside the jail.
The human right activists kept silent over the other children, to look after the juveniles who are inside the jail. It is one of the reasons probably, why the jail authorities are not permitting the press or other Social Activists to enter inside the jail, in the name of security.
The fate of the children who are inside the jail is unknown. In another case, four children from village Talametingi, under Laxmipur Block of Koraput district are confined inside the jail and are facing a number of criminal charges, including waging war against the Government and arms Act.
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