Technical hitch after the erstwhile Social Welfare department was bifurcated, with the creation of the Women Development department, has come in the way of taking charge of ten underaged girls from Nagaland who were rescued in Chennai.
Sources said Chennai Police refused to hand over the underaged girls to a police team which went to bring them home as the Trafficking Act stipulated that they can be handed over only to the social welfare department along with parents and guardians.
However, it was revealed that the social welfare department could after being divested of women wing, was not in a position to receive the underaged girls. The women development department on the other hand, which deals with women, described as those above 18 years of age, was also not legible as per the Act, since the girls were under 18 years of age. While the issue remain deadlocked over legality between the departments of social welfare,women development and police, the homecoming of the underaged girls, it seemed, would have to be delayed.
For More Updates, follow us on 
and 