Bhaktapur Child Correction Home incidence: INSEC

The Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) has made public a study report with a conclusion that the incident took place at a Child Correction Home in Bhaktapur was due to negligence and indifference.

The INSEC had carried out onsite study about the incident where many children had escaped from Child Correction Centre and a clash had taken place with police after a child died in the correction home.

The report mentioned that minimum facility was also not found in the correction home. Similarly, a conclusion was drawn that the incident took place due to negligence of Underprivileged Children's Educational Programs (UCEP) and indifference of administration.

The 18-year-old Kamal Basnet staying in correction home had asked medicine with hostel warden and the warden sent him after providing 'Niko' medicine, reads the report, adding Basnet was taken to Gatthaghar-based Nagarik Community Hospital after he was found unconscious on August 20.

According to the study, Basnet, who was suffering from fever and boils died in lack of timely medical intervention. Basnet, a resident of Kathjor of Manthali municipality-3 in Ramechhap district died at 6:00 am on August 20.

The other children and relatives of the deceased were agitated following the demise of Basnet. They protested demanding impartial investigation into the demise, bringing culprit to justice and providing compensation to the victim's family.

A total of 221 children who were in the Correction House had fled from the backdoor of the House after a clash ensued with police after their protest.

Basnet was kept in the Child Correction House at Madhyapur Thimi Municiaplity-2 in Bhaktapur district following the order of the District Court in Ramechhap.

The report saw need to bringing that involvement in the management of Correction House under the scope of investigation, reform and improve internal management of the Correction House and an impartial launch into the incident of August 30 (demise of Basnet) and subsequent incident (clash between the children in the Correction House and police).

Furthermore, the report also suggested not overcrowding the Correction House with children more than the capacity of the House and not to house children above 18 years in the Correction House among others.

The report emphasizes that the government itself takes the task of overseeing the child correction home and it should be developed as a correction home. Similarly, the child correction home should be made child friendly. Children of the correction home on 21 August protested alleging that health of the children in the home was not tested regularly and their mental health was not taken care of. Similarly, they also accused the home administration of not managing proper food and safe water for the children and not taking initiatives for their career development.

In the clash, 19 security personnel and 10 children were injured. One of the injured children is said to be in serious condition. He is receiving treatment at the ICU of the National Trauma Centre. Of 221 children who fled the child correction home, four are still at large, said the police.