Five juveniles escape from correctional home in Dholpur, caught within hours

Jaipur: Five accused escaped from a govt juvenile correctional home in Dholpur by breaking a grille early Wednesday morning. Police officials said that after the guards at the correctional home informed the police control room, a district-wide search was launched for the escapees. The Bari police managed to detain all of them within a few hours.
According to the Dholpur police, the incident occurred around 4am. The juvenile offenders, previously detained for various criminal offences, including cases under the POCSO Act, were housed in the correctional facility after being detained by different police stations in the Dholpur district.
When guards discovered the broken grille and found the delinquents missing, they immediately alerted the control room. A team from the Sadar police station reached the scene and began an investigation.
"The juveniles were found in Bari, around 35 km from the correctional home. After escaping, they hitch-hiked and reached the town. Someone informed us that they were hiding near a nullah. A team found them and took them into custody. They were planning to escape to another city using public transport," said a police official. The official added that the juveniles are aged between 15 and 16 years.
"They were detained for various offences, including theft, violations under the SC/ST Act, and cases under the POCSO Act," he said. The juveniles will be presented before a juvenile justice board and then sent back to the correctional home.
Following their capture, authorities conducted a thorough inspection of the correctional home to determine how the grille was breached and identify any lapses in the security. The escapees were questioned to understand the circumstances of their breakout and any potential accomplices or plans.
The incident raised concerns about the security arrangements at correctional homes in the state, as several similar escape cases were reported in the past. In March last year, at least 20 juveniles escaped from a similar correctional facility in Jaipur, highlighting persistent challenges in ensuring security at such institutions.