Shift 20 inmates from Mankhurd shelter: Bombay HC

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 27 November 2012 | 22.23

MUMBAI: Distressed by a report on "unhygienic, humiliating and abusive" conditions at Navjeevan Sudhar Kendra in Mankhurd, a state-run rehabilitation home for rescued women, the Bombay high court on Monday ordered that 20 inmates be immediately shifted to Shradhanand Mahila Ashram (Matunga Road), which is run by an NGO.

The court directed that magistrate Swati Chavan monitor the affairs of the Mankhurd home; besides, a team of magistrates has to record the statements of the 20 women and submit a report in two weeks.

A court-appointed committee said in its report that 66% of the inmates (36 out of 54) were found to be "severely depressed" and a similar number displayed suicidal intent. One person even committed suicide in March this year.

According to the report, a woman tested positive for pregnancy in October 2011, within 50 days of being admitted to the centre on September 8. On Septemer 12, she was tested for pregnancy at JJ Hospital as required and tested negative. However, on October 23, she tested positive for pregnancy, the report said, adding: "Hence, sexual assault/intercourse cannot be ruled out."

The HC had suo motu turned an email received from activist Purnima Upadhyaya into a PIL. The mail was based on a news report that carried allegations levelled against the Mankhurd home by an inmate. On November 6, the HC bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Nitin Jamdar expressed dissatisfaction over a police report and appointed a two-member panel comprising psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty and superintendent of police Rashmi Karandikar to visit the home and submit a report.

The 28-page report, which was compiled after interviewing 87 inmates, said the authorities—including the police—seemed "grossly negligent towards the repatriation process". The home receives many women who are rescued from traffickers. An order to repatriate 33 such girls last November resulted only in nine transport permissions. These, too, lapsed with no implementation within three months, the panel said. Even an order to send an inmate to her parents living in nearby Mira Road was not complied with.

The report said a few girls "saw unidentified men near the barracks" and it called for serious investigation. Registers were not maintained and "negligence and callousness continued through successive superintendents".

The staff has said wholesome meals are given to the inmates, but the committee report tells a different tale. "Food is often insufficient, unpalatable and half-cooked," said one girl. "The inmates did not perceive respect and compassion at the centre and felt their dignity and human rights were violated continuously," the committee said. "Deep suspicion, anger and resentment continues against the staff even now ...human rights violations were continuous, but the centre blames overcrowding for most ills." The report said the inmates were threatened with extended stay and named new superintendent Shobha Shelar as among the staffers who "terrorized the girls".

Government pleader D Nalavade said the girl on whose allegations the news report was based was not traceable and her statement was necessary. But the HC said other events had overtaken this aspect.

The report by Dr Shetty and Karandikar said, "The centre needs a compassionate superintendent."


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