DNA: New Delhi: Monday, April 03,
2017.
Aarja, an
athlete who won a silver medal for the country in the 200-metre race at the
2003 Dublin Special Olympics World Winter Games, mysteriously went missing from
Asha Kiran, the Delhi government's home for mentally ill, in 2009 has not yet
been traced.
A day after
she was taken to the home, she went missing and her name now only finds mention
in government files as a missing person.
"She
came to the home on November 23, 2009, and has been missing since November 24,
2009. A missing report was filed at Mukherjee Nagar police station. She has not
been found yet," a reply to a query under the Right to Information Act
(RTI) says. The RTI was filed by social activist Raj Hans Bansal.
According to
information provided on February 13 by the home, 24 inmates have escaped from
Asha Kiran between 2011 to 2017. Between January 1, 2016, and January 31, 2017,
Asha Kiran reported 40 deaths 24 males and 16 females. Of these, six were
reported in January this year. Of the male inmates who died during this period,
only two were aged 30 or above.
According to
sources, Aarja was taken to Rajan Babu TB hospital in Mukherjee Nagar with a
house 'aunty,' Saraswati to see one of the inmates Saleem who was admitted to
the hospital on November 24.
"But due
to some work, Saraswati had to rush back to Asha Kiran. She left the hospital
leaving behind Aarja. On returning, Aarja was nowhere to be seen," said a
member from the home.
A missing
complaint was filed at the Mukherjee Nagar police station. "Saraswati
later died and the police have not been able to trace Aarja yet," said
Amit Kumar Singh, Executive Magistrate, Deputy Commissioner, Rohini.
The Special
Olympics hosts athletic competitions for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The
competition is held every two years, alternating between the Special Olympics
World Summer Games and the Special Olympics World Winter Games.
In 2017, the
Special Olympics World Winter Games were held in Austria, which in 1993, became
the first country other than the USA to host it.
DNA in its
campaign has been highlighting inhuman living conditions at Asha Kiran that
functions under the department of social welfare. As many as 11 inmates have
died in the last two months. The post-mortem report of the five inmates who
died inside the home suggested poor nourishment as the cause.
The home
which houses males, females and youngsters has no medical specialist,
physiotherapist, and psychologist as of now. These posts have been lying vacant
for too long, also revealed the RTI query.
"As many
as 25 inmates are suffering from Tuberculosis and five from HIV," the RTI
stated.
The Delhi
Commission for Women (DCW) had also issued a notice to the secretary of the
department of social welfare after its chief Swati Maliwal, along with other
staff members, carried out an inspection at the shelter home and found that 11
deaths had occurred in a span of two months.
"The
commission has submitted the recommendations to the government. The state
government will now take the final call," said a senior Delhi government
official requesting anonymity.