Rudrapur (Uttarakhand): Uttarakhand Police on Tuesday claimed to have taken major action against the “illegal” madrassa running in Pulbhatta area of Udham Singh Nagar by “freeing” two dozen children from the Islamic seminaries. Police said that the 24 children were “imprisoned in a closed room” at the madrassa and were rescued during a special operation.
Police have also arrested a woman from the spot while the children have been handed over to their families. An official said that Udham Singh Nagar police had received a complaint about an illegal Madrassa running in Pulbhatta police station area. Following the complaint, the police took major action against the madrasa and rescued 24 children from an illegally run madrasa.
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Police said that in the ensuing raid at the madrassa, the 24 children were found in a locked room in the Madrasa and were “very scared and frightened”. Police said that the accused physically exploit the children and make them do household work. Following the raid at the madrassa, the CWC (Child Welfare Committee) team was called on the spot by the police team.
The CWC (Child Welfare Committee) team counseled the children, who were later handed over to their relatives. The operator of the madrassa named Khatoon Begum, was arrested from the spot. During interrogation, Khatoon told that her husband Irshad and she used to run the Madrasa together. A case has been registered against the accused.
Police team is making efforts to arrest the absconding accused. An official said that the searches were carried out on the instructions and complaints received from the police headquarters. According to the police, the evacuation at the madrassa is part of the “campaign for verification of outsiders” which was launched in Ward No. 18 Charbigha Babu Gotiya Sirolikala of Pulbhatta police station area.
Officials said that the locals had complained to the police that a madrasa was illegally built at the house of one Irshad in Ward No. 18 Charbigha Sirolikala Babu Gotiya area. According to the locals, the madrasa was being operated without permission.
