AAP Govt Orders Probe After 13 Die In Delhi Shelter For Mentally Ill In A Month, NCW Takes Note

Delhi minister Atishi on Friday ordered a magisterial probe into the alleged lapses after 13 deaths were reported in a month in a shelter home for mentally challenged in Rohini.

The AAP leader ordered submission of a report within 48 hours while ordering the inquiry into the matter. She has sought suggestive measures to prevent any such occurrence in the future. In her letter, Atishi noted that there were 14 deaths since January 2024 at the shelter home.

The minister also sought recommendations on action to be taken against those whose negligence had caused the deaths.

However, National Commission of Women chairperson Rekha Sharma hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government over the tragic incident, saying that it’s an utter failure on behalf of the government.

While speaking to News 18, Sharma said that the commission would carry a thorough and comprehensive probe into the grave matter to get a logical conclusion.

She also assured to provide every possible assistance to the victims, and the girls living in Delhi government’s Asha Kiran shelter home.

“For years, the Asha Kiran shelter home run by the Delhi government has lost all asha (hope). People are suffering and dying in it and the Delhi government does nothing, nothing at all. Taking cognisance and sending my team to enquire into it,” Sharma said.

The women commission has also sent a fact-finding team to the shelter to take congnisance of the matter.

Meanwhile, the SDM has expressed his concern over the matter. He said that 13 children died in government’s Asha Kiran Care Home in the last 20 days. So far 27 deaths have occurred this year, which is much higher than last year.

The SDM said that the actual cause of death is not known yet, and it would be revealed after the post-mortem reports.

According to official sources, a majority of inmates who died were aged between 20 and 30, and the cause of death was reported to be health issues and malnutrition.

BJP leader Rekha Sharma lambasted AAP-led government for their negligence. “”…’Asha Kiran’, which is a unit of the Delhi government, where it is said that disabled people are kept and are given care but deaths are constantly happening in this shelter home. In the year 2024, 27 people have died. In the month of July itself, 17 people died, as per our information. The administration is not telling the reason, we don’t know what is there in the SDM inquiry, all the officers are sitting with the gates closed, no one is allowed to go inside, we are not allowed to go inside. As per our information, the children are getting dirty water, they don’t get food, they don’t get treatment. An inquiry should be conducted and all the officers who are involved in this should be punished…” she said.

Delhi government’s social welfare department runs Asha Kiran, which was set up in 1989, with a capacity to accommodate 350 people.