A recent study by iProBono, based in London, uncovered a disturbing reality regarding the incarceration of children in India. Between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2021, the study identified 9,681 cases of children wrongly held in adult facilities. This alarming discovery averages to over 1,600 children being transferred out of prisons annually.
The findings, drawn from research and government Right to Information (RTI) applications, underscore systemic failures in protecting the rights of minors in conflict with the law. The study highlighted cases like Neha, a minor accused of matricide, who languished in an adult jail for years before securing bail, despite falling under the legal classification of a minor according to the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act.
Former Supreme Court Judge Ravindra Bhat, chairperson of the Supreme Court Juvenile Justice Committee, attributed this injustice to states’ failure in their duty to safeguard vulnerable children. The study also revealed gaps in data collection and reporting, particularly in states like Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Nagaland, and Ladakh, contributing to missing data from 85 district and central prisons. Amod Kanth, Founder General Secretary of Prayas JAC Society, called for urgent action from stakeholders to address this pressing issue and highlighted concerning trends in the duration children spent in custody before transfer.
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