Freed minor talks of drugs and abuse, hopes to study

NEW DELHI: Shobhan (name changed) was one of the 114 boys in the Sewa Kutir juvenile home when the rioting began on Tuesday. The 17-year-old was apprehended one-and-a-half years ago on charges of murder, but he was released on Tuesday evening after the court acquitted him of charges. Shobhan shared his experiences inside the infamous Adharshila juvenile home in Mukherjee Nagar.
Shobhan, who had a bite mark and some bruises on his neck, said, "I'm very happy to be out as it's quite dangerous inside the juvenile home." Every day there are brawls and boys are thrashed, Shobhan told TOI as his parents completed the formalities next to him. Shobhan's mother recounts how whenever she came to meet him, Shobhan would tell her about the fights and drugs.
"Most of the boys inside are into drugs. The boys get aggressive when their demand for drugs is turned down, and beat each other up. Had my son not rushed out at the time of riots, he would've ended up in the hospital," his father added.
Hinting at sexual assault inside the home, Shobhan said, "One has to be cautious even while sleeping because some boys can get molested. Boys, who have been in the home for long, tend to exploit new boys. Those who come from Tihar are hardened with their experiences in the jail and can be very brutal."
Anil Kumar, superintendent of Adharshila, accepted that they were not capable of correcting boys who come from Tihar Jail. "Boys from Tihar should be sent to other homes because by the time they come here, they are beyond our capabilities."
It's hard to miss Shobhan's mohawk hairdo, which, he says, is copied from his favourite rapper Honey Singh. "The boys inside give each other hair cuts. And sometimes the same blades are used to hurt each other. The authorities can't do much and even the guards are beaten up," he added.
Unlike most families, Shobhan's family has decided not to shift their residence and will support their son to study further. Shobhan was in Class X when he was arrested and he now plans to become an engineer. "I don't want to end up in this centre. I have also given up drinking as I was inebriated when the incident had taken place."