In a shocking incident from the Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, authorities discovered 40 minor girls, aged between nine and 14 years, locked inside a toilet of an unregistered madrassa during a surprise inspection.
The incident has sparked deep concerns over the functioning, safety, and regulation of unregistered religious institutions across the state, while also raising questions about possible legal violations.
The Discovery
According to Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Payagpur, Ashwini Kumar Pandey, the district administration had been receiving frequent complaints about the operation of an illegal madrassa in a three-storey building at Pahalwara village under Payagpur tehsil.
Acting on these reports, a joint inspection was carried out on Wednesday with local police.
Upon reaching the premises, madrassa operators reportedly tried to prevent the team from accessing the upper floors.
Once police intervened, officials made their way to the terrace, where a locked toilet was found. After female police personnel opened it, 40 girls were seen stepping out one by one from the cramped enclosure.
The children, visibly shaken and frightened, could not give a coherent explanation for their confinement. This triggered alarm among the officials, as the sheer number of minors locked in such an unsafe environment suggested serious lapses in child welfare and safety protocols.
Illegality and Regulatory Concerns
District Minority Welfare Officer Mohammad Khalid later confirmed that the madrassa had been running for three years without registration.
Locals corroborated this, adding that it had escaped official scrutiny during the 2023 madrassa survey, which had already identified 495 unregistered madrassas in Bahraich alone.
The madrassa management failed to produce any legal documents establishing its legitimacy. Khalid further highlighted that while many such madrassas had been sealed last year, their managers had obtained High Court stay orders, exposing gaps in enforcement.
A state-level regulatory framework is reportedly under consideration, but no formal policy has been rolled out yet.
Suspicious Circumstances: The Teacher’s Statement
When questioned about why the girls were confined to the toilet despite there being eight rooms available, a teacher named Takseem Fatima claimed that the children had panicked during the commotion caused by the inspection and locked themselves in out of fear.
However, this explanation appears highly suspicious. The key question arises: Why would children panic at the sight of government officials and police when they were supposedly studying in their madrassa with their parents’ approval?
For any student, the presence of police or officials should not cause fear unless there is something to hide or a negative experience associated with such visits.
- Were the children instructed to hide whenever outsiders arrived?
- Did they fear punishment or repercussions from the madrassa management if they were seen by officials?
- Or did they apprehend that something unlawful was happening around them that might put them at risk?
The statement of the teacher, instead of clarifying, has in fact raised eyebrows. It points to the possibility of systematic fear, conditioning, or concealment within the institution. Child rights activists argue that this is not a normal reaction and needs an independent investigation.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) or another agency, experts suggest, should conduct a deeper probe to uncover whether the girls were simply panicked or whether larger issues such as exploitation, indoctrination, or coercion were involved.
Possible Legal Violations
The incident may involve multiple legal breaches:
- Violation of the Right to Education Act (RTE), 2009 – Running an unregistered educational institution is a punishable offense.
- Child Rights Infringement under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 – Locking children in unsafe environments constitutes neglect and potential abuse.
- Prohibition of Child Confinement under IPC Sections 342 & 344 – Wrongful confinement of minors, even for a short period, is a cognizable offense.
- Possible POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Implications – Though no evidence has yet surfaced, the secretive confinement of minors warrants a thorough probe to rule out exploitation or abuse.
- Negligence under Child Labour and Safety Laws – Authorities must investigate whether the children were being forced into labor or unsafe practices under the guise of religious education.
Police and Administrative Standpoint
Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ramanand Prasad Kushwaha stated that no FIR has been filed so far, since neither the parents, the SDM, nor the minority welfare officer has approached the police with a formal complaint. However, he assured that if a complaint is lodged, the police will take appropriate legal action.
Child welfare activists, however, argue that the state itself has a suo motu responsibility to act in cases involving minors, regardless of whether a formal complaint is registered.
They insist that the circumstances, coupled with the teacher’s suspicious explanation, are sufficient grounds for an FIR and an independent probe by SIT or the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
Broader Concerns
This case has reignited the debate around unregulated madrassas in Uttar Pradesh. While many madrassas provide genuine education, unregistered ones often operate in secrecy, without checks on infrastructure, teaching quality, or child safety.
Critics argue that in the absence of strict monitoring mechanisms, children risk falling prey to exploitation, indoctrination, or unsafe conditions.
Civil society groups are now calling for:
- Compulsory registration of all madrassas and educational institutions.
- Regular inspections to ensure child safety, hygiene, and compliance with educational standards.
- Legal accountability for operators found guilty of negligence or unlawful confinement.
- A clear state policy on handling madrassas that defy registration and regulation.
Conclusion
The Bahraich incident serves as a wake-up call for child protection agencies and the government. The madrassa has been shut and the children reunited with their families, but the teacher’s suspicious statement has raised troubling questions.
Why did the children panic in their own place of study? Were they coached to hide? Was there something unlawful being concealed? These questions cannot be brushed aside.
Only a transparent, independent investigation by SIT or a child protection agency can reveal the truth. Until then, the safety and well-being of children in similar unregulated institutions remain uncertain.
#Bahraich #MadrassaRaid #ChildSafety #UPNews #MinorGirlsRescued #IllegalMadrassas #ChildRights #JuvenileJustice #POCSO #EducationReform #HumanRights #SITProbe
s?