More than 14 deaths have been reported within a month's time at a government shelter home for the "mentally challenged" in Delhi's Rohini, spark doubts among authorities as to why this has happened.
As many as six women and a minor were among those who died at the shelter home, Asha Kiran. Officials have said that an inquiry commission was set up last week to investigate the matter, the report for which is awaited, The Indian Express reported.
A government official noted that three deaths were reported in January, two in February, one in March, three in April and none in May, however, the numbers increased in an "alarming" manner in June and July.
Majority of inmates who died where between the age of 20 and 30 and the cause of their deaths included various health issues like lung infections, tuberculosis and pneumonia, official sources were cited by the report.
Reportedly, postmortem of two bodies is yet to be conduced at the state-run Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini.
"There were also cases of inmates who showed symptoms of malnourishment," an official source said. They are also awaiting reports from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to rule out a case of food poisoning.
As per the news outlet, the tests that are conducted include viscera and histopathology tests. The internal organs of the body, mainly the body cavities, are examined extensively to determine the cause of death under suspicious circumstances in the viscera test.
Meanwhile, in the histopathology test, the human tissues are examined for any signs of health disorders, internal damage or abnormalities in the tissues.
The picture will be clear when all the reports come in in one or two months, an official source was cited as saying.
The Delhi government-run facility, Asha Kiran, which comes under the Social Welfare Department, was set up in 1989 in Sector-1, Rohini.
At the time, Asha Kiran was the only shelter home for the "mentally challenged" in north India. Notably, the Social Welfare department is currently functioning without a head after the resignation of Raaj Kumar Anand.
The shelter home has been involved in a number of controversies over the year due to inmates' deaths.
MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY ORDERED
Delhi minister Atishi on Friday directed the Revenue Department to launch a magisterial inquiry into the deaths of 14 inmates of the Asha Kiran shelter home, asking them to submit the report within 48 hours.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, currently in jail in connection with the excise policy scam, has not yet assigned the charge of the Social Welfare Department -- which runs the home -- to any minister.
Atishi took cognisance of the deaths reported in the shelter home since January and said that they "reportedly occurred due to health issues and malnutrition and indicates the lack of availability of requisite facilities to the inmates".
Atishi said that of the 14 people who died at the home in July, some had comorbidities. To know about the rest, autopsy report is awaited, she said, adding that preliminary report of the magisterial inquiry is to come in 24 hours.
"It is very shocking to hear such bad news in the capital city of Delhi and we cannot tolerate such kind of lapses, if found true," she said, adding that "this is a very serious issue and needs to be thoroughly investigated in order to take hard steps to revamp whole system to improve the conditions of all such homes to provide better facilities to the inmates."
Directing the additional chief secretary revenue to initiate a magisterial inquiry immediately, the minister issued a note, news agency PTI reported.
She said, "Recommend action to be taken against those whose negligence has caused these deaths. Recommend suggestive measures to be taken to prevent occurrence of such incidents in future."
OPPN ATTACKS AAP GOVERNMENT
The opposition, meanwhile, slammed the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government. The Bharatiya Janata Party said that its northwest Delhi MP Yogendra Chandoliya will raise the matter in Lok Sabha, adding that its party leaders will visit the shelter home.
Meanwhile, All India BJP Mahila Morcha vice president Rekha Gupta, BJP MLA from Rohini -- Vijender Gupta -- and the northwest district president Satyanarain Gautam tried to enter the shelter home but the gates were not opened for them.
They also staged a protest later outside the shelter home.
However, Delhi minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai slammed the BJP over the visit, saying, "BJP is reaching Asha Kiran to protest. They did not protest over the deaths of mother-son, who drowned in a waterlogged drain, since that matter comes under DDA. They ran away from there. I want to say that this dual model of politics has to stop."
"The concerned minister is monitoring it. Whoever will be guilty will not be spared. Whatever power we have, we will take action. We are standing with the people of Delhi, whether the issue is related to MCD or DDA," he added.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also took a swipe at the AAP government for its "negligence" in this regard.
"This is AAP Government's criminal negligence because running this shelter home is their work. Where do the Crores of Rupees go? It means that there is corruption as well as criminal negligence due to which 27 people lost their lives. NCW has sent a fact-finding team there. I think NHRC should also take cognisance of this matter," Poonawalla said.
Citing instances of deaths by electrocution or the three UPSC aspirants deaths in Old Rajinder Nagar, Poonawalla said that instead of taking responsibiltity, they have started politics of blame game.
"A few days back, in Patel Nagar a UPSC aspirant died of electrocution in a water puddle...Delhi Government should tell that should Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Arvind Kejriwal not take its moral responsibility?...AAP's shameless CM and his ministers should resign so that a proper investigation can take place," he said while slamming the Kejriwal-led party.
NCW Team Visits Asha Kiran
A team of the National Commission for Women (NCW) visited the Asha Kiran shelter home for the 'mentally challenged' amid reports of spike in number of deaths there.
After the visit, NCW chief Rekha Sharma spoke to reporters and said, "There are 38 cases from July, out of which 14 are women who have died within a month. Prima facie it has been found that the water is contaminated, there is no water filter even in kitchen. Most of the deaths have been because of diarrhea."
She said that shelter home is overcrowded as well, noting that 495 inmates have been kept in the space where accommodation is valid for only 250 inmates.
"There are several things on the menu but the food that was being served was covered in fungus...Children are dying of starvation," she added.
