Deepening crisis for Nari Niketan, the shelter home for the distressed women in Dehradun, four more inmates have been admitted at Doon Hospital after they were taken ill on Monday.
The number of such inmates taken ill, admitted at the premier State-run facility, is now five with the fifth Razia being admitted on December 26.
Mention worthy, two inmates died in a span of just two days at Doon Hospital. Among the four admitted on Monday, the condition of one is reported to be critical.
Nari Niketan in-charge Sub-Inspector Meena Bisht said that 36-year-old Razia, a patient of tuberculosis, had been admitted at Doon Hospital on December 26. “Some medical checkups were being done on Monday, she is now being kept under the doctor’s observation,” she said.
The four inmates admitted in Doon Hospital on Monday have been identified as Ramdulari, 62, Kanchan, 47, Indrawati 35 and Heena, 36, Bisht said, adding that all were undergoing medical checkups the reports of which were being awaited.
However, the doctors treating them are yet to disclose the nature of ailments that brought them to the hospital, she said.
Reports of inmates dying or falling ill seem to have left the shelter home in the dock with stories of theirs remaining malnourished due to inadequate amount of nutritious food given to them doing the rounds.
Observers opined that things having come into full focus, there is no fig leaf left to the administration to conceal the precarious state of things prevailing there. “The situations warrant that things should be laid bare to full public view so that corrective steps meant to stem the tide can be taken,” one of the observers said.
Shivani, 35, a mentally challenged inmate of the home, was declared dead on arrival at Doon Hospital on December 24. This was followed by another Rekha 25, who was mentally challenged too, dying on December 26. Rekha had been admitted at Doon Hospital on December 21. Dehradun SP City Ajay Singh said the post-mortem report revealed that Shivani, down with multiple diseases, had died on Thursday evening due to multiple organ failure. Interestingly, she had been discharged from Doon Hospital on December 23. She had been living in Nari Niketan since 2007, Singh added.
Mention worthy, despite SIT being formed to crack the case of alleged rape and abortion of another inmate of the home, no charge-sheet has been filed till date. However, eight had been arrested in connection with the case that drew sharp flak for the State Government.