Three deaths reported at Women’s Shelter in Noida in 3 days

Three inmates have died within three days at a shelter for abandoned and homeless women in Noida, raising concerns about medical treatment and supervision at the facility. The deaths were attributed to prolonged illnesses. The shelter, which currently houses 272 women, has been instructed to provide proper care to critically ill inmates. Earlier this year, four deaths occurred at the shelter, leading to a judicial probe and a change in the shelter's warden.

Noida: The deaths of three inmates at Gautam Budh Nagar’s only shelter for abandoned and homeless women in a span of three days has alarmed the administration. Following the deaths, the district probationary officer inspected the facility located in Sector 34 on Wednesday and instructed the staff to ensure proper medical treatment and supervision is provided to the inmates.

HT Image

According to an officials of the Gautam Budh Nagar police, the first death occurred on August 13 at the women’s shelter run by Apna Ghar Ashram NGO.

“An 80-year-old inmate at the facility identified as Roopmati complained of breathlessness on August 13 following which she was rushed to the district hospital in Sector 30 by the staffers. The doctors at the hospital declared her dead upon arrival following which local police was alerted and legal proceedings were carried out,” said Amit Kumar, station house officer of Sector 24 police station. The deceased was admitted to the facility on July 26, after distress call from Kavinagar, Ghaziabad.

He added that on August 15, two more women inmates were reported dead. “Another 80-year-old inmate identified as Kusum, who was brought to the facility from Dankaur on July 26 and was suffering from a skin disease, died on the way to the hospital on August 15. The second deceased was identified as 65-year-old Fatima, who was admitted to the facility by the Sector 126 police station team on January 31, 2023. She was also declared dead on arrival at the district hospital on August 15,” said the officer.

According to Atul Soni, the District Probationary Officer who is in-charge of the shelter home, post-mortem reports revealed that all three deaths were due to prolonged illnesses.

“All the three women were senior citizens who were suffering from illnesses and died due to the same. Their post-mortem reports have found cardiac arrest to be the cause of death,” said Soni, adding that the sudden spate of deaths has alarmed the department.

“We carried out an inspection of the facility on Thursday and instructed the staff to provide medical care and attention to the critically ill inmates at the shelter. During inquiry, no negligence was found on the part of the shelter staff and the deaths were not found suspicious. The staff has also been directed to alert the senior officials about any critically ill inmates being admitted at the shelter,” said Soni.

As per officials, there are a total of 272 women inmates at the shelter presently. “Since the shelter home caters to abandoned women, often the women are suffering from critcal illnesses. At the moment, four women inmates are admitted at the district hospital for medical treatment,” said the officer.

Balraj Goel, a volunteer at the shelter home said that the last rites of the deceased women were carried out by the staff.

“These women do not have any family and hence, we treat them as our family and carried out their last rites. The death of the three inmates is an unfortunate event even though the staff provide them with the best care and attention as possible,” said Goel.

Till May 1, 2021, the shelter was being run by another trust called Nari Niketan, after which it was handed over to the NGO Apna Ghar Ashram by the district administration.

Earlier in December 2022, four deaths were reported at the shelter home following which the district magistrate had ordered a judicial probe into the matter. According to the post mortem reports, while two inmates died due to heart attacks,third one died due to a prolonged illness and the fourth one had died due to Tuberculosis, officials said.

“Following the probe, the warden of the shelter home was changed by the administration,” said an official.