Shelter home deaths: Delhi HC asks govt for fresh status report
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi government’s Social Welfare Secretary to submit a new status report by Monday regarding the recent deaths of 28 inmates at the Asha Kiran shelter home, which caters to mentally challenged individuals.
The court’s decision came after a series of alarming findings related to the shelter’s conditions, including significant staff shortages and inadequate provisions for the inmates.
The court’s ruling followed a visit by a petition committee from the Delhi government on August 3, which highlighted critical issues at the shelter home. The committee’s report uncovered a dire shortage of both medical and non-medical staff, insufficient food and clean water, and inadequate healthcare services. In response, the court recommended hiring contractual staff to address the immediate needs and suggested approaching the Lieutenant Governor’s office for additional funding to improve conditions.
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has earlier criticised the Lieutenant Governor’s office for the situation, pointing out that the office holds responsibility for overseeing services in Delhi, including the appointment and transfer of officers. Kuldeep Kumar, a member of the petition committee, stated, “Services in Delhi are under L-G. Therefore, the responsibility of transferring the posting of officers is his. He should not run away from his responsibility.”
Further complicating the situation, AAP has alleged that the administrator of the shelter home, who was arrested in 2016 on corruption charges and suspended for five years, was improperly reappointed.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also stepped in, issuing notices to both the Delhi government and the city’s police to investigate the deaths. At least 28 inmates have died at the shelter home since January 2024, with 14 fatalities occurring in July alone, including 13 adults and one minor.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, the court urged the Social Welfare Secretary to address the situation proactively, emphasising the urgency of resolving the crisis effectively. The bench has requested the formation of a committee led by a retired high court judge to oversee a court-monitored investigation into the deaths.
