UP: Five girls flee from govt shelter home in Mathura; two return home, search on for three

Mathura: Five girls escaped from a government-run girls' shelter home (Rajkiya Balika Sanrakshan Grih) in Vrindavan here, triggering panic among the staff, police said on Tuesday.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shlok Kumar said soon after receiving information about the incident, senior police officials reached the shelter home and reviewed the situation.

He said it has come to light that two of the five girls have reached their respective homes in Mahavan and Nauhjheel areas in the district, while efforts are on to trace the remaining three.

The girls are in 14 to 17 years of age and had been sent to the shelter home in connection with cases pending before courts, the officer said.

According to the information provided by shelter home superintendent Gayatri Verma, the girls fled between 10.30 pm and 11 pm on Monday by covering themselves with blankets, a scene captured in CCTV footage.

The incident came to light on Tuesday morning, Kumar said, adding that a case has been registered based on a complaint lodged by the district social welfare officer and search operations are underway.

The remaining three girls are residents of Agra and Aligarh districts, and three separate police teams have been dispatched to trace them.

The SSP said strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty after completion of the inquiry.