New Delhi, Sep 20 (UNI) Union Minister for Women and Children Welfare Maneka Sanjay Gandhi on Thursday said that the ‘Shelter Homes’ in all States should be kept under strict vigil by the law enforcing agencies and special attention should be paid to the safety of children at shelter homes.
Speaking at launch of two portals for women safety in Union Home Ministry, she also underlined the need for provision of forensic kits at police stations for quick investigation of sexual crimes. Her demand came in the backdrop of recent sexual assault cases in shelter homes, particularly in Bihar and U.P.
“The Government is under process of procuring forensic kits but no State has so far updated the Centre about the procurement of these kits”, Ms Gandhi said.
These kits have the lock and key facility so that the evidences cannot be tempered during the investigation or prosecutions, she added.

Under the updated law, three forensic kits are mandatory for each police station to collect the evidence at earliest.
The Minister for WCD also asked the law enforcement agency to take prompt action in cases where a NRI husband or who is working abroad, abandons wife shortly after marriage.
“Due to timely intervention of the WCD Ministry, we were able to cancel passports of some people who deserted their wife”, she said.

UNI AKS/ VT 1848