The Delhi High Court on Monday (August 5) described the recent deaths of 14 inmates at the city government-run Asha Kiran shelter home for the mentally challenged as a “strange coincidence.”
The court instructed the social welfare secretary to visit the premises on August 6 and submit a report.
Observing that “nearly all” of the deceased had suffered from tuberculosis, the bench, consisting of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, directed the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to test the quality of water at the shelter home, as well as examine the condition of the water and sewer pipelines, and file a report.
The bench stressed the need for “curative measures” and stated that if the shelter home was found to be overcrowded, authorities should decongest it by relocating some inmates to another facility.
Fourteen inmates, including a child, died at Asha Kiran in July. The division bench was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking an investigation into these deaths and has scheduled further hearings for August 7, 2024.
Since February, 25 inmates have died at the center, which currently houses 980 “intellectually disabled” individuals, including men, women, and children, according to official data.
