Deoria Police arrested a couple who managed Maa Vindhyavasini shelter home and rescued the girls, after its license was revoked following an inspection by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) last night.
Though 24 girls have been rescued search operation for 18 more girls is underway.
One of the girls revealed that the girls were taken somewhere at night and they returned in the morning crying.
The incident was brought to light by an inmate of the home, who managed to escape and informed the police.
She told police that they were all treated like servants.
Superintendent of Police Rohan P Kanay said, "When the order to close this institution was made, our people went there and the organisation's director misbehaved with our team. Today, after a girl escaped from there, we got to know the reality of that place. There have been many big disclosures during the investigation. 24 children have been rescued safely so far," ANI reported.
The institution's director Girija Tripathi and her husband have been arrested.
A probe is underway and further details are awaited.
Deoria shelter home was running illegally:
Women and Child Welfare Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi said: "After CBI inspection last year, it was established that Deoria shelter home Centre was running illegally. A direction was issued to shift the inmates and shut it. But this order was not followed".
She said: "On 01 Aug, FIR was lodged to shut it immediately as illegal acts were being carried on. No. of children enrolled at centre as per records are not present. 1 child was rescued y'day who has filed a complaint. Investigation is underway."
Grim reminder of Muzaffarpur shelter home case:
In a similar incident, employees of a shelter home in Muzaffarpur (Bihar) were arrested last month for allegedly sexually harassing the girls here. On receiving information, the police raided the vicinity and rescued 44 girls.
Fresh Raids by DM
District Magistrate raided the shelter home in question on Monday morning looking for the relevant documents, which however could not be found.
Sujit Kumar, DM, Deoria said that in the complaint they received a list of 42 children. He said that it may be possible that some of them went away. “We can reach any conclusion only after we have completed the enquiry”.
'The shelter home was authorised by CARA (Central Adoption Resource Authority)', he said.
ABP News' report: