No trace of missing girls, police insensitive: DCW

New Delhi: Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal on Tuesday said the fact that the nine girls reported missing from a shelter home in Delhi were yet to be traced reflected insensitive attitude of the police. She appealed to the Commissioner of Police to transfer the case to the Crime Branch.

"It is disappointing that even after two days; the police have no clue about the girls. They are busy proving that most of the girls were majors. This reveals the insensitive attitude of the police. Major or minor, the girls need to be traced urgently," Maliwal said.

Earlier in the day, Maliwal along with other commission members visited Sanskar Ashram, the shelter home from where the nine girls are reported missing. Maliwal said these girls were earlier rescued from GB Road by the DCW.

According to the Commission, the condition of the home was "dismal and suffocating". The team also found that the girls were not given adequate food and clothes. The girls living there have complained that their regular medical check-up has not been done.

Following the incident, Delhi's Deputy CM Manish Sisodia on Monday directed state Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash to immediately suspend the District Officer and the shelter home Superintendent.

BJP seeks inspection by special force

Delhi BJP leader Vijender Gupta has urged Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi to form a special task force to carry out "in-depth inspection" of shelter homes for women and girls in the national capital. 

The Delhi Commission for Women has claimed that the matter came to light on Sunday; six months after the inmates had gone missing. The same day Delhi Police registered an FIR in connection with the matter. 

Gupta, the leader of opposition in Delhi Assembly, said the mere suspension of the district officer and the shelter home superintendent, was inadequate to bring any positive change at these facilities. 

He said the case indicates the city government and the DCW have failed in ensuring safety of inmates in shelter homes. "A special task force should be formed to carry out in-depth inspection of every shelter home in Delhi. 

There must be investigation of the facilities provided, the security measures and rehabilitation programmes being undertaken by shelter homes," he said.  

The expert committee set up by DCW chief Swati Maliwal has failed to conduct a social audit of shelter homes in Delhi after cases of alleged sexual abuse at such homes came to light in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh earlier this year, Gupta claimed.