Delhi starvation deaths: Kin of deceased offered financial aid

Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia on Thursday assured to provide financial help to the kin of three sisters, who were found dead in the Mandawali area of east Delhi.

Talking to reporters, Sisodia said that the state government has provided an immediate financial aid of Rs 25,000 to the family of the three minor girls who died due to starvation.

"We have given an immediate financial aid of Rs 25,000.Their mother will be admitted to the hospital and will be ensured the best treatment. Once their father returns we'll provide more financial help," said Sisodia.

The Deputy Chief Minister also said that they would open an account for the family so that they could get help from the Chief Ministerial Relief Fund.

Meanwhile, the police are searching for the father of the girls, confirmed Sisodia.

Further talking about the incident, Sisodia said, "This is the failure of our system. I have called various departments since morning; I have asked the planning department to make a 100 percent census report on all children living in Delhi with details of their health, age, chronic diseases, everything."

Sisodia further said that he has sought a report from the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) to find out whether these three girls were present in their records.

"I have sought a report from ICDS that whether these people were on our records? If yes then why these girls were not helped? I have sought a report from the Directorate of ICDS by this evening" he added.

Earlier in the day, the new postmortem reports had revealed that the reason behind the trio's death was starvation as their stomach was 'absolutely empty'.

Talking to ANI, Amita Saxena, MS, Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, had said, "There was no trace of fat on their bodies. Postmortem showed the stomach was absolutely empty. It's a case of gross malnutrition"

Meanwhile, the police sources had also mentioned that the three sisters died due to starvation.

The initial post-mortem examination report had also indicated that the girls, aged two, four and eight died of starvation.

Reportedly, the police were initially treating it as the case of natural deaths, but the recovery of pills and medicine bottles prompted them to look into the poisoning angle.

The girls were brought to the hospital by a member of the family but were declared dead on arrival.