Eight boarders of a government-run home for destitute boys near Balurghat escaped from the shelter on Friday night.

Seven of the eight are Bangladeshis and had been nabbed and brought to the shelter called Subhayan after they had infiltrated through the international border.

Police have launched a search for the eight.

Sources said the boys had dug a trench in one of the rooms of the home and escaped. Around 70 minor boys stay at the home.

“All the eight who have fled are juveniles. They had dug a trench from a room till the boundary wall of the home. The administration and police are trying to find out how they managed to dig a trench as none of the staff or officials at the home noticed it,” said a source.

D.D. Sherpa, the superintendent of the home, is on leave and could not be contacted. Pranab Kumar Ghosh, the district land and land reforms officer of South Dinajpur, said: “Eight minors have fled the home. We are trying to locate them. An inquiry has been ordered.”