Now, 25 Children Go Missing From Adoption Homes in UP’s Varanasi and Mirzapur

Now, 25 Children Go Missing From Adoption Homes in UP’s Varanasi and Mirzapur Image for representation only. News18 creatives/Mir Suhail

Lucknow: After the infamous Deoria shelter home incident, now 25 children have been reported missing from two specialist adoption agencies in PM Modi’s constituency Varanasi and the adjoining Mirzapur.

Reportedly, seven children are missing from Laxmi Shishu Grah in Varanasi, while 18 children are missing from Mahadev Shishu Grah in Mirzapur. A detailed report has been sought by Women and Child welfare Ministry from the District Magistrates of both the districts. They have been asked to submit the report by September 15.

A probe has been ordered by the DM and the SDM City has been instructed to investigate the matter.

As per the letter issued by Additional Secretary, Women and Child Welfare Ajay Tirkey, Laxmi Shishi Grah in Varanasi had stated that they were having 15 children. But when a team from Government of India visited the premises, only 8 children were found on the spot while 7 were missing. The inspection was done on March 16, 2018.

The same team when it visited Mahadev Children Home in Mirzapur found only 14 children on the spot against the claim of 38 the children’s home. The authorities at the Mahadev Children Home informed that six kids namely Shambhavi, Honey, Maria, Shubham and Ashish died between 1st April 2017 and February 2018. An investigation in this regard has also been ordered.

The matter was highlighted when the teams visiting these specialist adoption agencies found that some children were not adopted and also were not present on the spot during the time of inspection.

Speaking on the issue, District Probation Officer Praveen Tripathi stated that after the inspection by the team from Government of India, the recognition of Laxmi Children Home in Varanasi has been cancelled and the children who were living there have been transferred to Lucknow.

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