Balurghat: Authorities begin security audit at juvenile home after repeated escape attempts

BALURGHAT: The district administration of South Dinajpur has initiated a security audit at the government-run juvenile home “Subhayan” in Balurghat after repeated incidents of minors escaping or attempting to flee from the facility raised serious concerns about its safety measures and supervision.

According to official sources, on Friday night, two minors managed to slip out of the main gate as it was left unlocked during the security guards’ duty change. However, they were quickly apprehended near the gate by the juvenile home authorities before they could escape further. This was the second such incident within three months.

Barely two months ago, three inmates had fled the same juvenile home by scaling the barbed-wire boundary wall. They were later traced and rescued by the police from Malda district. These recurring incidents have prompted the administration to take the matter seriously and assess the existing security arrangements, which many believe require modern technological upgrades and stricter supervision.

Currently, Subhayan is equipped with barbed-wire fencing, CCTV surveillance and round-the-clock security personnel. Yet, repeated escape attempts have exposed potential lapses in vigilance and operational discipline.

Harris Rasid, Additional District Magistrate (Land and Land Reforms), said: “A comprehensive security audit has already begun at Subhayan from Saturday. The home’s security system follows all prescribed norms, but the audit will identify why such incidents are still occurring and how to prevent them in the future.”

The administration is now exploring stricter monitoring measures, including enhanced gate management, additional security staff and periodic inspection drives, to ensure such security breaches do not recur.