In a shocking and deeply disturbing incident, at least 42 elderly people were rescued from an “illegal” old-age home after a police raid at the institution found living in inhuman and abusive conditions. Some women tied up and many of the residents holed up in “basement-like” rooms without clothes. While most of the elderly men were not wearing clothes, the women were given partial clothing. Many of them were found with urine-stained or feces-stained clothes.
A joint team of the Uttar Pradesh State Women Commission (UPSWC), Noida Police, the Social Welfare Department, and the District Probation Welfare Department carried out a surprise inspection, found the old-age home was found in a deplorable condition and subsequently sealed the premises. The rescue operation was launched after a disturbing video surfaced on social media, showing an elderly woman tied up inside the facility.
A video of the poor state of the old-age home, which went viral, was also recently sent to the Social Welfare Department of Lucknow. The short clip showed an elderly woman kept in a room with her hands tied. Soon after, the State Women’s Commission and the Noida police raided the home on Thursday and rescued 39 senior citizens.
When the officials reached the spot, they found many elderly people tied up in their clothes and locked in rooms. Meenakshi Bharala, a women’s commission member, said the Anand Niketan Vridha Seva Ashram at C-5, Sector 55, Noida was an illegal old-age home.
“During the raid, an elderly woman was found tied up while other elderly people were locked in basement-like rooms,” she said. Some men were found locked in rooms resembling basements, many without clothes. Women were also found barely dressed. It felt like they were living in conditions worse than hell,”Bharala said.
This old age home is completely illegal. There were 42 elderly people living in the ashram, out of which three elderly people will be shifted to an old-age home run by the social welfare department on Friday and the rest will be shifted to other Government-approved old-age homes in the next five days, she added. Bharala said the old-age home will be sealed with the help of the administration.
Additionally, officials found there was no proper staff to take care of the senior citizens.
During the inspection, it was revealed that there were no qualified medical or caregiving staff on duty.
During interrogation, a woman who identified herself as a nurse confessed that she had only completed Class 12. The lack of hygiene and basic facilities further underscored the negligence. Several rescued elderly individuals belonged to well-off families, some from affluent areas in Noida.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the Ashram had taken a donation of Rs 2.5 lakh from the families of the elderly people. Additionally, they also took Rs 6,000 per month for their food and accommodation. A case has been filed against the old-age home and the elderly are being shifted to a Government old-age home in a couple of days.