A miraculous escape of a 10-year-old girl from a shelter home in Deoria late on Sunday, August 5, unearthed a flesh trade racket being operated from the ‘Maa Vindhyavasini Mahila Avum Balika Sangrakshan Grih’ women protection home in Deoria in eastern Uttar Pradesh, where 42 inmates were enrolled. Police have rescued 24 girls and search is on for 18 others, who are reported missing.

Deoria district police chief Rohan P Kanay said that three persons, including the superintendent, caretaker and her husband, were arrested in a late night raid on the protection home.

The incident has come close on the heels of discovery of mass rapes of minors in a shelter home for girls in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. A CBI probe has been ordered by the Bihar Government in this case.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi, speaking on Deoria and Muzaffarpur shelter home cases, said “It’s not only frightening, it makes me sad. I know there will be many more because for years and years, we have paid no attention, apart from giving them money. I propose that MPs go to institutions in their constituencies and give me reports. I'll take immediate action. A long term solution is to make large homes for 1,000 women, 1,000 children, with all-women staff rather than small centres. I'll sanction money.”