‘Dismal, suffocating’: DCW seeks probe into condition of women’s shelter home

A three-member team from the Delhi Commission from Women led by its chairperson Swati Maliwal visited the home on Tuesday where they found that the inmates were not being provided adequate food and clothing.

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Tuesday urged the state government to conduct an enquiry into the functioning of the Sanskar Ashram for Girls, a shelter home from where eight women and a differently abled minor have been reported missing since December 1.

A three-member team of Delhi Commission for Women, led by its chairperson Swati Maliwal (in photo), on Tuesday visited the women’s shelter home where they found that the inmates were not being provided adequate food and clothing. (Sonu Mehta/HT File)

The commission said in a statement that the condition of the home in northeast Delhi’s Dilshad Garden is “dismal” and “suffocating”.

A three-member team from the commission led by its chairperson Swati Maliwal visited the home on Tuesday where they found that the inmates were not being provided adequate food and clothing.

“During the visit, the inmates complained of not being shown to doctors. It was observed that the girls were not being taken for regular medical check-up. Also, it was found that the attitude of the staff was laid-back and insensitive,” the statement said.

The missing women and the minor are victims of human trafficking and sexual abuse and were shifted to this shelter home from another in Dwarka earlier this year.

When HT visited the spot on Tuesday, the caretakers said they were understaffed and could not look after all the inmates. On an average, the home has around 80 inmates. The sanctioned capacity of the home, however, is 100.

“The caretakers work in three shifts but at times one has to do double shifts as staffing is inadequate. We have requested the authorities several times to get more people but nothing has happened. We got to know about the incident during morning roll call when the girls were not found,” said an employee who did not wish to be named.

The missing women are from Nepal while a few of them were rescued from a prostitution racket in G B Road by the commission earlier this year.

The inmates were allegedly treated improperly at the shelter.

According to police, except for the minor, all other missing inmates were aged between 18 and 20 years. An FIR was registered in the case of the missing minor on Sunday at the GTB Enclave police station while missing complaints were lodged for the eight women.

A senior police official said, “A probe is on. We are looking at all familiar places from where they were rescued earlier.”

DCW chairperson Maliwal said, “With great risk, we managed to rescue girls from GB Road who may end up being trafficked again. The condition of the home was dismal. We have asked the government to strengthen shelter homes and for better rehabilitation schemes.”

Maliwal has sought time with lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal to discuss the matter.