24 girls rescued from UP shelter home, 18 inmates missing

Twenty-four girls were rescued from a shelter home here and three people were arrested after allegation of sexual exploitation of the inmates came to light, police said today.

Eighteen inmates of the shelter were still missing, they said.

"Twenty-four girls were rescued 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 matter comes in the backdrop of the alleged sexual abuse of young girls at a state-funded shelter home in Bihar's Muzaffarpur which led to a public outcry. Sexual abuse of 34 inmates out of 42 was confirmed in medical examination.

When asked for her comments on the issue, UP Women and Child Development Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi said, "The recognition of the NGO was revoked one year back and funds were stopped. We will probe how it was functioning till now and see who is responsible for this."