Teen goes missing from child care home in UP's Ballia; supervisor, cop charged
A 16-year-old girl staying at a child care helpline facility in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district allegedly escaped from the premises, and the facility supervisor and a woman constable on duty have been booked, officials said on Tuesday.
Police said the girl, Putul Kumari from Bihar's Vaishali district, has not been traced so far. Superintendent of Police Omveer Singh said a case had been registered and efforts were under way to find her. He said an inquiry had also been started against constable Reema and further action would be taken on the basis of the report.
According to officials, the girl had been brought to the child care helpline facility in the Okdenganj police outpost area during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday by Bairia police sub-inspector Sunil Yadav and head constable Sinki Gond after she was found missing.
She allegedly escaped at around 11.15 am on Sunday from the toilet of the facility after bolting the door from inside and climbing out through a window, officials said.
Police said an FIR was lodged late on Monday night at Ballia City Kotwali on a complaint by District Probation Officer Dr Amarendra Kumar Paushayan. A case was registered against Reema, a constable posted at Bairia police station, and Shilpa, the supervisor of the child care helpline, under Section 261 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. Both were on duty at the time, police said.
Paushayan said the girl was 16 years old and a resident of Vaishali district in Bihar. He also said action was being taken to terminate Shilpa's services for alleged gross negligence. Officials said the girl had been found in Suremanpur in the Bairia area three days before she was brought to the child care helpline facility.
Police said the search for the girl was continuing, while departmental and legal action had been started in connection with her escape from the facility.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 22, 2026 11:50 IST
