The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report about the escape of 33 boys, who fled the government-run Observation Home for Boys and Girls at Kellys in Chennai on July 11.

Police have managed to find and bring back 26 of them while seven are yet to be traced. The Home, maintained and guarded by the Social Defence Department of the State, is reportedly over crowded and lack the basic facilities. The inmate children are handled badly and they remain depressed,the report said.

The Commission observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, raise serious issue of violation of human right to life and dignity of the juveniles and negligence by the Social Welfare Department of the State.

Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Secretary,Department of Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme, Government of Tamil Nadu, calling for a report in the matter within four weeks.

The Commission has also observed that the children, who are in the custody of the state are required to be handled sensibly so that they do not become criminals in future. The State is duty bound to ensure proper facilities in the government run homes and safety of the inmates.

According to the media report on July 12, two group of the inmates clashed with each other and pelted stones in which many of them were injured. By the time police reached the spot, many of the boys fled.

The unrest began a day before the incident when the children staged a protest on the terrace of the building, demanding better facilities and accommodation. The protesting inmates were pacified but the next day, clashes began and during the melee, many scaled the wall and escaped.