Inmate of shelter home dies at hospital, 2 others missing

An inmate of a city-based shelter home, meant for mentally challenged women, died today while undergoing treatment at a hospital, just a day after two other women staying there went missing.

"Anamika (27), an inmate of the Aasra shelter home, was brought to hospital in a critical condition yesterday. She had been complaining of breathlessness and was severely anaemic. She died today at 8 pm," Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) superintendent Rajeev Ranjan Prasad told PTI.

Two other inmates of the shelter home, both in their early 30s, are missing since yesterday and an FIR has been lodged at the Rajeev Nagar police station in this connection, SHO Rohan Kumar said.

The Aasra shelter home had hit the headlines earlier this month when two of its inmates had fallen ill and were declared brought dead at PMCH.

Following the deaths, which had taken place in the intervening night of August 10-11 and evoked an outcry, Manisha Dayal and Chirantan Kumar - who ran the NGO entrusted with running the shelter home - were arrested and sent to jail.

Following the arrests of Dayal and Kumar, the Bihar Social Welfare department had deputed its own personnel at the shelter home for its upkeep as an interim measure.

Moreover, a decision has also been taken by the Nitish Kumar government to phase out awarding of contracts to NGOs for running such care units.