14 Deaths At Delhi's Asha Kiran Facility In A Month, NCW Chief Flags Food 'Fungus', Overcrowding - What We Know So Far

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Asha Kiran shelter home, run by the Delhi government's social welfare department, has come under the scanner after 25 deaths were reported there since February 25 this year. According to a report, 14 of the 25 deaths occurred in July and the deceased included six males and eight females. It was further alleged that one minor was among the deceased at the shelter home.

The reason for these deaths is yet to be ascertained as authorities await post-mortem reports.

The Asha Kiran shelter home is located in Delhi's Rohini are a. An official report from the shelter home to the Delhi government mentioned loose motion and unconsciousness as being the reasons behind deaths, news agency PTI reported. Other reasons included mild fever, loose stools and vomiting.

DCP-Rohini district GS Sidhu said police "have already initiated the process that we follow in case of such unnatural deaths at a shelter home". He said,“Those who have lost their lives belong to different age groups, and some of them were minors.”

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights also took suo mot cognizance of minors' deaths at the Asha Kiran shelter for the intellectually disabled in Delhi.

National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma said , "Most of the women who died in Asha Kiran shelter home run by the Delhi government were under 40 years." She criticised Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi.“Young lives are lost because of sheer negligence of the Delhi government,” Sharma noted.

Rekha Sharma took to X social media platform to share two pictures. She said one of those pictures showed the“on-paper menu of Asha Jyoti Shelter home", and the other showed "the fungal-infested food bowl given to the inmates" of the shelter.

She said the pictures were provided by the doctor on duty, "who was himself feeling helpless because no one was listening to his advice".

Sharma said on Friday, "There are several things on the menu, but the food that was being served was covered in fungus...Children are dying of starvation..." She further alleged that there was no water filter facility at the shelter.

"Most of them have died due to diarrhea ...No toilet facility there...," she said, adding that there was no biometric attendance and that "the staff present here are untrained and unregulated...They are getting on-the-job training".

Sharma also mentioned the issue of overcrowding in the shelter home. "Overcrowding is also there; 495 inmates are kept here, where only 250 people can be accommodated," the NCW chairperson said.

In a post on X, she said,“Shelters run by Delhi government has become death trap for innocent people. in the capacity for 250 people Asha Kiran has 450 people staying without proper food, water and medication (sic).”

On Friday, Sharma shared a screenshot of an email that read,“Situation at Asha Kiran is serious. 25 admitted at MCU on drip and medicine. 8 seriously admitted at BSA. 5 recent reported with vomiting. Matter of great concern. Please look into matter. (sic)”

As Rekha Sharma highlighted the matter, she demanded a strict and independent enquiry into the issue. "Atishi should be made responsible for contaminated water they have been provided," she added .

NCPCR (National Commission for Protection of Child Rights) Chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said the Delhi government is "indifferent" regarding the inspection of children's homes. "They don't do inspection. If they don't do it, there will be irregularities and such incidents will keep happening," he added.

Atishi ordered a magisterial inquiry into the death of inmates at the Asha Kiran shelter home. At a press conference, she said 980 "intellectually challenged" persons live in the Asha Kiran shelter home. She also mentioned that many of those who live in this shelter home are abandoned people rescued by the police.

"In the month of July, 14 people have died in the Asha Kiran shelter home. Out of these, 1 is a minor and 13 are adults. Their post-mortem report has not yet come," Atishi said.

"Instructions have been given for a magisterial inquiry into all these deaths," Atishi said, adding that the preliminary inquiry report has to be submitted within 24 hours.

"If the report reveals negligence on the part of any officer, strict action will be taken against him," the Delhi minister added.

Meanwhile, DCP Rohini, Guriqbal Singh Sidhu said ,“...Action under 196 BNSS has already been taken by us... As per the medical report, post mortem or forensic report, whatever comes out in the magistrate inquiry, whatever instructions we get from the magistrate, we take action accordingly...”

AAP MP Swati Maliwal, who visited the Asha Kiran facility on Friday, said she met the women and doctors there and also studied the case files of those who have lost their lives. "I think this is a case of criminal negligence," she said.

"The doctors regularly reported that the women here were malnourished. The files of Geeta and Shruti clearly state that they were malnourished. Doctors have claimed that 30 per cent of the people here are malnourished, and their BMI is less than 18 per cent. Meanwhile, 20 per cent of the people are suffering from various skin diseases," Maliwal said .

Maliwal said ,“I demand that action should be taken in this matter and an FIR should be lodged...I will raise this issue in Parliament...”

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has sought a comprehensive inquiry into the state of affairs at all shelter homes being run by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, including the deaths at Asha Kiran. A report, inter alia, fixing responsibility should be presented within one week.

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