NEPALGUNJ, March 15: A fighting among juvenile detainees of the 'Jayandu Juvenile Correctional Home' in Asmanpur of Duduwa Municipality-6, Banke, has left 49 of them injured. The injured detainees have been admitted to Bheri Hospital and Sanjivani Hospital.
Tension, which began late on Friday night, subsided by Saturday afternoon after police intervention. Some detainees are in stable condition, while others remain in critical condition. Banke's Chief District Officer (CDO) Dharmaraj Joshi confirmed the hospitalization of 49 juvenile detainees.
"Six detainees were injured on Friday night, and 43 were injured on Saturday. The injuries range from minor to severe. Some complained of headaches and discomfort, so they were also taken to the hospital," CDO Joshi told Republica, adding that two seriously injured detainees underwent CT scans.
NHRC to probe repeated incidents of clashes in juvenile correct...
The juvenile detainees threw bricks at the police officers deployed for security, injuring three officers. The injured police personnel are receiving treatment at a local hospital. The police had difficulty controlling the situation till Saturday afternoon. Authorities were able to restore order only after deploying a large number of security personnel.
During the scuffle, 5-6 juvenile detainees escaped but later contacted the authorities, CDO Joshi reported. The correctional home housed 255 juvenile detainees and 12 police personnel. The fighting also caused fire which severely damaged the building's first floor, rendering it uninhabitable. Firefighters managed to bring the fire under control.
"Due to the damage, we have transferred 70-80 juvenile detainees to the juvenile correctional home in Naubasta, Banke," Joshi said. "We will coordinate with the Department of Prison Management to make long-term arrangements."
Clashes every year
Clashes occur every year at the Jayandu Juvenile Correctional Home. Last year's clash resulted in the death of one detainee. Juveniles convicted in 'child exploitation' cases remain there even after turning 18, contributing to repeated conflicts as authorities find it challenging to manage the increasing number of offenders. Sources indicate that prohibited drugs are used inside the correctional home.
Locals claim that traders bring drugs into the facility, which the juvenile detainees use with ease. The limited number of unarmed police personnel appear powerless in the face of the detainees. Sources also claim that detainees who use drugs are the primary cause of the tension.
