HC asks Maha to probe escape of 2 kids from Mankhurd home

The direction was given by a bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud who asked the Trombay police to submit a report on the issue.

The Court was acting on a report submitted by a Court-appointed Committee which said that two children had escaped last year from the mentally challenged children's home at Mankhurd.

According to amicus curiae Asha Bajpai, who was appointed to assist the court in the matter, the boy who escaped in July was 14 years and ten months old. However, his mental age was said to have been calculated as six years, and thus falling in the category of 'moderate mental retardation'.

The other incident is said to have taken place on November 11.

The Court also asked the Social Welfare department to give attention to health and education of the mentally challenged boys. If necessary, the Government should deploy special teachers for the mentally deficient children's home and work out a rehabilitation plan for them, the judges said adding copies of such plans should be given to the Amicus Curiae.

The Court also directed the Commissioner of Disability to cooperate with the concerned departments of the State in rehabilitation of mentally deficient children.

The Court expressed concern that although Rs 10.5 lakh had been earmarked for the compound wall of the Mankhurd institution, the work had not been completed.

The judges directed the authorities to complete the construction of the compound wall within two weeks. MORE