KIDS’ SHELTER DEATHS: Activists question delay in disclosing probe findings

“What is holding the Women and Child Development Department officials back from making public the findings of the magisterial inquiry report on the deaths of five children at the Nirvan Rajkiya Bal Grah Visheshikrit (shelter home for children with special needs)?”

This is among the questions raised by activists as it has been over three days since the submission of the probe report, but the WCD department, the authorised body to review and act on the findings, remains silent on the matter.

Activists said that the delay in a matter related to deaths of children is a sign of insensitivity.

Former Childline coordinator Vivek Sharma, currently associated with the NGO Human Unity Movement, said, “Now that the investigation is complete, it ought not to take the department more than two to three days to review and analyze the details at the most. The fact that this matter is not being fast-tracked is of grave concern.”

“Until the shelter home in question is cleared of suspicion, it’s odd that the children are being discharged from hospital and returning to the shelter. In this situation, the Child Welfare Committee should make alternative arrangements for the children while this investigation is ongoing,” Sharma added.

After declaring that findings of the magisterial report and the consequent action to be taken would be announced by the WCD department on April 4, its director Sandeep Kaur and other officials are still silent on what the report, finalised on April 1, said Sharma.

While the director of the WCD has been unreachable for a comment after April 2, district probation officer Vikas Singh and deputy director, WCD, Punit Mishra have also claimed to have no knowledge of the status of the review or contents of the report.

Even as suspicions regarding the quality of food and murmurings of blacklisting the shelter home have been swirling, the delay continues.

Sharma said, “This is an incident concerning disabled and orphaned children, and should be handled with extreme sensitivity and promptness.”

He added while this is not the first such incident in the city or state, the time taken to order corrective action or find the root cause raises questions.

“Even though the required agencies have been looped in and investigation and inquiry done by district authorities, stakeholders are yet to provide any clarity on what was the reason the children at the shelter took ill, and five eventually died,” he said.