Manjot Kaur, the house mother of the Children Home at the Jalandhar-based Gandhi Vanita Ashram, has been arrested by the Jalandhar police.
Her arrest happened on October 30, 2026, based on an FIR and DDR lodged at the Division No. 2 police station, Jalandhar.
Manjot Kaur had been relieved of her duties shortly earlier by the ashram superintendent.
She has been detained in relation to an FIR registered in the case of the death of a 17-year-old minor at the ashram on November 21, 2025 — a gruesome case that set alarm bells ringing.
The postmortem report of the 17-year-old girl, who was found caved in under mysterious circumstances at Children’s Home of Gandhi Vanita Ashram in Jalandhar on November 21, 2025, had revealed 21 wounds on her body, including lacerated wounds and bruises.
A letter issued by Superintendent, Children Home, Savita, on October 6, 2026, relieving the house mother of her duties, stated: “Serious charges were found against house mother, Children's Home, Gandhi Vanita Ashram, Manjot Kaur, during a surprise visit by the District and Sessions Judge to the Children's Home, Gandhi Vanita Ashram, on July 4, 2026. Serious facts also came to the fore regarding her in a PIL (CWP PIL 19 of 2026) filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The house mother is liable to be arrested by the police of Police Station No. 2, Jalandhar, as per a case registered on May 2, 2026 (FIR No. 65) under Section 106(1) of the BNS (causing death of any person by a rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide) and DDR (No. 25) filed at the same police station under Section 115(2) of the BNS (voluntarily causing hurt) and Section 75 of the JJ Act (punishment for cruelty to a child). The house mother is hence being relieved from all activities at the Children’s Home.”
The initial FIR registered at Police Station No. 2 on May 2, 2026, states: “The death of the girl at Gandhi Vanita Ashram was caused due to electric shock owing to negligence by Gandhi Vanita Ashram staff, which establishes an offence under Section 106(1) of the BNS, which calls for a detailed probe and action against the culprit.”
Lakhbir Singh, SHO, Police Station No. 2, Jalandhar, noted, “Manjot Kaur, arrested on October 30, has been placed under 14-day judicial remand as per the charges against her. The matter is under investigation.”
Notably, Kaur’s arrest came in the wake of recent allegations by five girl inmates of the ashram this October. A signed complaint to the District Programme Officer cited alleged harassment by a legal official.
The grievance, issued on October 12, 2026, alleged that a legal official, who allegedly faced other cases of misbehaviour at other places, had been unnecessarily calling them to the institution’s office and attempted to come close to them on one pretext or another. The inmates also alleged that the legal official made obscene gestures and cast sly glances at them, demanding that the official be removed.
District Programme Officer Gulbahar Singh noted, “The house mother’s arrest is as per court proceedings in the 17-year-old’s November 2025 death case. The complaint against the legal officer is among multiple unrelated complaints. These are under due probe.”
