Nine Women Missing From Delhi Shelter Home; Officials Suspended

The state of shelter homes in Delhi is worsening by the day. More and more cases of ill-treatment of women inmates are coming to light. Recently, nine women have gone missing from a shelter home in east Delhi's Dilshad Garden. Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia has directed the chief secretary to suspend senior government officers over apathetic dealing of the case.

On the night of December 1, nine women living in the Sanskar Ashram for Girls in Dilshad Garden went missing. The authorities got to know of the disappearance only on Sunday morning, which is when they registered a complaint with the police.

The authorities had moved the women from a shelter in Dwarka to their current abode in May. The woman had earlier been rescued from human traffickers.

Delhi Commission for Women received information about these women missing, following which DCW chief Swati Malliwal wrote to Manish Sisodia demanding strict action against the erring officials.

Earlier, the Commission received a detailed complaint from members of the erstwhile Child Welfare Committee-V, Dilshad Garden, regarding irregularities in the functioning of the Sanskar Ashram.

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DCW also wrote about the case of ill-treatment of a special needs girl at the shelter home. It stated that the Superintendent of the home subjected the child to severe abuse and corporal punishment and that the Chairperson and Members CWC had to intervene. They had given a specific complaint against the Superintendent of the Home who allegedly beat up the girl.

The commission received another complaint from a member of CWC which stated that the same Superintendent had also beaten several other girls and her conduct was highly improper. However, Department of Women and Child Development or the Delhi Police did not take any action on the complaints. More importantly, the conduct of home authorities has remained suspect.

In view of the same, Sisodia has ordered immediate suspension of District Officer and Home Superintendent with immediate effect.

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