Member of the Andhra Pradesh State Child Rights Protection Commission Gondu Sitaram has issued a stern warning against detaining children in police stations for prolonged periods without proper cause. This comes after reports surfaced in various newspapers about three children being held at the Fourth Town police station without any formal arrests, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
Following this, Gondu Sitaram personally visited the police station accompanied by officials, including Circle Inspector V Srinivasa Rao and Sub Inspectors. Further, he questioned the children's ages, the circumstances of their detention, and whether they were treated humanely.
Additionally, he cross-checked the police's statements with the children's parents and relatives, finding discrepancies that raised concerns. Sitaram expressed his dissatisfaction with the police version of events and announced his intention to order the city police commissioner to promptly present the detained children before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB). He also called for a detailed report to be submitted to the State Child Rights Protection Commission.
Speaking about the incident, Sitaram stated that the commission would review the information gathered from both the police and the children's families. Based on this review, they would recommend disciplinary action against the police officers involved, he added.
District Child Welfare Committee member Suryanarayana, DPO Sarath, District Child Welfare Officer Ramesh, and others were also present.
