Shiv Sena MLAs Prakash Surve (Magathane), Chandrakant Nimbaji Patil (Muktainagar), and Mangesh Kudalkar (Kurla) jointly questioned the government about a recent incident of a child temporarily disappearing from the state-run facility
All the children housed at the facility have undergone counselling, and efforts are being made to maintain a child-friendly environment, said Maharashtra minister. Representational pic
Legislators raised concerns over the safety and security of children housed at the Mankhurd Juvenile Home in Mumbai on Thursday in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly during the ongoing Monsoon Session 2025.
Shiv Sena Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) Prakash Surve (Magathane), Chandrakant Nimbaji Patil (Muktainagar), and Mangesh Kudalkar (Kurla) jointly questioned the government on a recent incident pertaining to the temporary disappearance of a child from the state-run facility.
According to the query submitted by the legislators, on a particular evening, a routine headcount conducted after the children were let out to play reportedly revealed that three children were missing. While two of them returned the same night, a 12-year-old boy remained unaccounted for as on April 17, 2025, they said.
The legislators sought clarity on whether the government had taken prompt action to trace the missing child and implement measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
In her response, Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare, confirming the incident, said that on April 14, 2025, a child was found missing during the evening hours. However, the missing child returned safely to the facility at 6 am the following morning.
She further informed the House that disciplinary action was taken following the incident and a staff member was relieved from duty on April 17, 2025. Additionally, steps have been taken to improve child safety within the institution. These include the installation of CCTV surveillance, stricter supervision protocols, and mandatory reporting procedures for staff. All the children housed at the facility have also undergone counselling, and efforts are being made to maintain a child-friendly environment, the minister added.
The minister emphasised that the government acted promptly, and therefore, the question of delay did not arise.
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