In a shocking incident, two minor boys, escaped from a madarsa in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on Friday after they were assaulted by a Maulana and kept chained to prevent them from running away. The matter came to light when a video of the incident went viral. According to reports the Maulana of Suffa Madintul Ulam Madarsa in Shivlar, Gosainganj, who was running the madarsa illegally, had not only kept the two boys captive by shackling them but also thrashed them with canes in the name of disciplining them.
When the two minors returned to their village after escaping the madarsa on Friday afternoon, villagers saw iron shackles fastened to the 13 and 14-year-old teenagers’ feet. They had assault marks on their bodies. When questioned, the children revealed that the cleric had confined them in the madarsa by tying their feet in chains, from where they managed to flee on Friday afternoon.
The students, Shahbaz and Raju, said that the madrasa teachers thrashed them with canes and kept their feet shackled. The villagers alerted the authorities to the brutal treatment meted out to these minor children. Some even made a video and posted it on various social media platforms. The video was also sent to the police, who then reached the site and detained the accused.
According to the Gosainganj police, the Maulana was soon left as ithe family members of the two victims stated that they do not wish to take any action against him or the madarsa. A case can only be registered if a formal complaint is received, said the police.
According to Gosainganj inspector Sailendra Giri, after the police received the video shot by local villagers, Shahbaz’s father Shera was summoned to the police station. The minor boy’s father refused to file a complaint against the Maulana. He, in fact, gave it in writing that he had urged the cleric to be strict with his child because Shahbaz was disinterested in his studies. Shahbaz had already run away twice from the madarsa, according to the father, and he was the one who had urged the cleric to be stern with his kid. Raju’s brother also had a similar story to tell the police. Raju’s father also told the police over the phone that he did not want to register any complaint against the cleric.
Meanwhile, Shahbaz and Raju who had multiple cane marks on their hands and feet levelled serious allegations against the madrasa teachers. They claimed that the Maulana forced them to study and thrashed them brutally for not remembering their lessons.
The ACP of Gosainganj Swati Chaudhary confirmed that the children have been handed over to their respective family members. No action has been taken against the Maulana as the police does not have any formal complaint against him.
According to reports, the Suffa Madinatul Ulam Madarsa in Shivlar, Gosainganj, Lucknow has been operating illegally for quite sometime. According to the District Minority Welfare Officer, this madarsa in question is not recognised by the government, hence it does not receive any financial aid.
