33 juveniles escape from Delhi correctional home

At least 33 juvenile delinquents escaped from a Delhi government-run rehabilitation centre here, police said Sunday, adding that 14 of them were later brought back to the correctional home.

The juveniles escaped Saturday from the rehabilitation centre in north Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar. The centre houses 127 juveniles.

"We have been able to apprehend 14 of them. At least 19 juveniles are still on the run and we are looking for them," said a police officer.

The juveniles started violent activities around 8.30 p.m. Saturday and continued creating ruckus through the night, police said.

"When the rehabilitation centre employees were busy trying to stop their violent acts, the 33 juveniles jumped over the rear wall and fled," said the officer.

The officer said earlier the juveniles entered the kitchen and set it to fire. They then went to the terrace with a cooking gas cylinder and started pelting stones at a police party.

"They were threatening to set on fire the cylinder. Somehow we managed to tackle the situation by Sunday morning," said the officer.

The juveniles also attacked a rehabilitation home employee when he tried to stop them, police said.

According to the officer, a month ago some juveniles were transferred to Mukherjee Nagar from Majnu Ka Tilla juvenile home as they were allegedly harassing other inmates in their earlier centre.

The juveniles who were brought from Majnu Ka Tilla started the trouble Saturday night and were joined by others, police said.