Hyderabad: Over 89 per cent of the children apprehended by the Telangana Police in 2016 for being in conflict with the law were living with their families.
These figures contradict the assumption that homeless children are more likely to become involved in crimes.
According to the police, the children apprehended by them are usually involved in property offences, such as burglaries. Activists say that these figures are alarming as they depict the current state of the family structure in the state.
Of the 1,182 children apprehended in the state in 2016, only 55 were homeless. The remaining 1,058 were living with their families. 181 children were apprehended in Hyderabad, and only 10 of them were homeless.
Sowmya Mishra, the Inspector General of the Telangana state CID, says that children in conflict with law need to be looked at with a different perspective with respect to their family and socio-economic backgrounds.
“With so many forms of technology available to them, they are more prone to becoming involved in criminal offences. They are affected by smartphones, characters on-screen, and their surroundings. Though they may get involved in the commission of offences, they should be treated based on their mental level. It should be ens-ured that they understand the consequences of their actions,” Ms Sowmya says.
She says that the TS has launched a campaign, “Jago, Badlo, Bolo”, to address the problem of children involved in crimes. “The involvement of minors in offences may also be a product of the quality of education. Educational institutions are supposed to be responsible for moulding children,” she says.
Anuradha Rao, a childs rights activist, says that sometimes cops falsely implicate children. She adds that even in genuine cases, they do not conduct any follow-up checks. “After apprehending a minor and sending him to a correctional home, the cops believe that their work is done. Proper rehabilitation plans should be designed and it should be ensured that parents spend time with their kids,” she says.
