Poor State of Old Age Home in Noida, Men Locked up Naked, Women only Partially Clothed
NEW DELHI, June 27: Elderly people locked in rooms, some of them left with urine and faeces-stained clothes and several others not even having any clothes with no staff to take care of them. Such a horrible and pitiable conditions of the elderly people was found at an old-age home, Anand Niketan Vridha Ashram, in Sector 55 in Noida in Uttar Pradesh.
A video of the poor state of the old-age home, which went viral, was 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. According to State Women Commission member Meenakshi Bharala, some old men were locked up in basement-like rooms. 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 faeces-stained clothes.
Additionally, officials found there was no proper staff to take care of the senior citizens. One employee of the old-age home, who called herself a nurse, said she had just passed the 12th standard. 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.
(Manas Dasgupta)
