Missing inmates: DCW seeks probe into condition of shelter for women

NEWDELHI: 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.

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 Hindustan Times 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.