NHRC sends notice to Delhi govt over death of inmates in nursing home

The facility was found to be overloaded, ill-equipped to handle medical emergencies and understaffed. The report highlighted that a total of 148 deaths were recorded between 2009 and 2014.

2 minutes of reading Last updated: August 3, 2024 | 14:46 IST

The NHRC said on Saturday it had sent notices to the Delhi government and the city police chief following reports that 12 inmates died in a month at a refugee centre in Rohini.

The National Human Rights Commission said in a statement that such a high number of prisoner deaths in such a short period of time indicates “neglect on the part of the authorities.”

The NHRC has officially taken note of media reports that 12 inmates died at the Delhi government-run Asha Kiran centre for mentally challenged people between July 15 and 31.

They reportedly included 10 women and two men. Their symptoms were similar, including loose stools and vomiting. Several other prisoners are reportedly undergoing treatment in hospital, the commission said.

According to the shelter’s medical unit, 54 inmates were sent off-site for treatment in July. That “caused concern and revived allegations of neglect and poor living conditions” at the shelter, it added.

The commission said the content of the press report, if true, raises a serious issue of human rights violations against prisoners in the allegedly overcrowded facility.

In this regard, the NHRC has sent notices to the chief secretary of the Delhi government and the commissioner of police, seeking a detailed report within four weeks, the statement said.

The report is expected to include information on the status of the FIR in the case, action taken against the officials or officers responsible and steps taken or proposed by the authorities to ensure that such incidents do not recur, the release said.

According to a media report on August 2, Asha Kiran is “no newcomer to controversy.” The shelter home has a capacity of 500 residents but is currently reportedly housing more than 1,000 people, causing overcrowding, it said.

According to reports, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its 2015 report pointed out irregularities in the functioning of this nursing home.

The facility was found to be overloaded, ill-equipped to handle medical emergencies and understaffed. The report highlighted that a total of 148 deaths were recorded between 2009 and 2014.

It also found “laziness” on the part of the department in decongesting the Asha Kiran complex. In 2017, the Delhi Commission for Women had also submitted a report stating that the facility was in a “dilapidated condition”, the statement said.

(Only the headline and image of the report may have been edited by the Business Standard team; the rest of the content is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)

First published: August 3, 2024 | 14:46 IST