‘No evidence of sexual assault in JPC Hosp case’, says Delhi govt

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has responded to mounting concern over the death of a 23-year-old mentally challenged woman at Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital (JPCH) in North-East Delhi. Officials said a committee of senior doctors and officers was formed at the hospital on June 23 to investigate the matter.

“As per reports submitted by the Medical Superintendent and revealed through medical examination, no physical or sexual assault was found,” the government said. It also confirmed that CCTV cameras outside the HDU were functional and that the footage had been shared with the police. The identities of on-duty staff, including the nursing officer, sanitation worker, and security guard, have also been handed over to investigators.

The incident has triggered sharp political responses, with Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav accusing the Rekha Gupta-led government of allowing a total breakdown of safety and public healthcare. “Hospitals have become unsafe. The government is wasting taxpayers’ money on photo ops instead of public welfare,” he said. Yadav pointed to a 134 per cent surge in crimes against women and questioned the conditions under which the woman was admitted to JPCH but died at GTB Hospital. He also raised concerns that the victim’s identity and family details remain unknown. “Unemployment and neglect have pushed the youth into despair. Congress has launched a ‘War Against Drugs’ campaign to address this,” he said. AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj also criticised the government’s silence. “How could such brutality occur in an ICU? Were the CCTV cameras working? Has the Chief Minister even met the victim’s family?” he asked, calling the case a sign of “complete administrative failure.”