13 children die in last 20 days at Delhi's Asha Kiran shelter; order probe

Deaths at shelter home: So far, 27 deaths have been reported at the government-run facility for the specially abled since January this year

An investigation by a sub-divisional magistrate has revealed that 13 children have died at the Asha Kiran shelter home in Delhi’s Rohini in the past 20 days.

So far, 27 deaths have been reported at the government-run facility for the specially abled since January this year. The high number of fatalities has led to allegations of neglect and substandard living conditions from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The exact cause of these deaths remains unknown. The SDM emphasised that the current death toll is significantly higher compared to last year and stated that the true cause will be determined once the post-mortem reports are available.

The SDM’s report has raised concerns about the quality of drinking water supplied to the children.
 

In response, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has sent a fact-finding team to the shelter home and criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for its alleged negligence.

NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said, “For years, the Asha Kiran shelter home run by the Delhi government has lost all asha (hope). People are suffering and dying in it and the Delhi government does nothing, nothing at all. Taking cognizance and sending my team to enquire into it.”
 

She said the NCW is conducting an audit of the night shelters operated by the Delhi government.
 

However, Delhi Minister Atishi disagreed with the reported number of deaths and instructed the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of the Revenue Department to launch a magisterial investigation and provide a report within 48 hours.

In her letter, Atishi highlighted that there had been 14 deaths at the shelter home since January 2024. The minister also requested recommendations on the actions to be taken against those responsible for the deaths due to negligence. Additionally, she sought suggestions for measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Atishi said, “It is very shocking to hear such bad news in the capital city of Delhi and we cannot tolerate such kind of lapses, if found true. This is a very serious issue and needs to be thoroughly investigated.”
 

The government-run facility is situated in Rohini, North Delhi. Established in 1989, it was designed to house up to 350 people. Managed by the Social Welfare department of the Delhi government, the shelter has faced several controversies over the years, primarily related to the deaths of its residents.

[With agency inputs]