Juveniles in remand home demand DJ for birthday party, pelt stones at cops

Meerut: Juveniles lodged at an observation home here created ruckus and pelted stones at police officials after their demand for a DJ to celebrate the birthday of an inmate was turned down by authorities even as 12 of them tried to escape from the premises taking advantage of the commotion.

Following the incident late last night authorities deployed additional police personnel to bring the situation under control. The protest broke out when the agitated inmates were denied permission for playing DJ and raised slogans against the Surajkund observation home authorities, police said, adding the inmates beat up two observation home staff.

When police personnel intervened, the inmates started pelting stones at them. To bring the situation under control, police fired rubber bullets and tear gas shells. In the melee, 12 juveniles, tried to escape from the observation home but they were later nabbed, a senior police official said.

SHO of Nauchandi police station Harsharan Sharma that 61 juveniles are lodged in the observation home at present. There were unconfirmed reports that 24 juveniles escaped from the observation home. Counting of inmates is on.

The situation in the observation home has been brought under control this afternoon, ADM (city) S K Dubey said. The district magistrate has ordered an magisterial inquiry into the incident and asked to submit a report within seven days, he added.