Gates locked, probe on: Noida old-age home out of bounds for media

Noida, Jun 28 (PTI) After a viral video showing an 80-year-old woman's hands being tied at a Noida-based old-age home sparked outrage and led to an official raid, the Anand Niketan Vridha Seva Ashram remained under tight watch on Saturday, with its gates locked from inside and entry restricted even for the media.

PTI's attempt to visit the premises of the old-age home in Sector 55 revealed that access was being tightly controlled by staff. A guard stationed at the main gate only let relatives of the inmates or government officials in and said, "No mediaperson is allowed." The elderly-care facility, running allegedly without registration since 1994 in a residential area, came under scrutiny after the video went viral on social media on Thursday.

While three inmates were shifted to another facility in Dankaur that night, the ashram guard claimed that one of them has since returned.

"Teams have been formed to investigate the matter of the Anand Niketan Vridha Ashram. Action will be taken on the basis of the investigation of the team that includes the magistrate and the district social welfare officer," District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma told PTI.

Social Welfare Department supervisor Nitya Dwivedi asked the ashram's management on Friday to produce valid registration documents but it failed to do so. "They have been given five days to submit the necessary paperwork," Dwivedi said.

Meenakshi Bharala, a member of the Uttar Pradesh State Women's Commission who was part of Friday's inspection, had earlier reported that during her visit, she had found inmates living in deplorable conditions.

"An elderly man was lying unclothed on a bare bed," she said.

A guard at the ashram dismissed the allegations, saying the video has "tarnished the ashram's image".

"Things here are better than in many other old-age homes," he claimed.

Public opinion on the home was mixed. Two sisters, who were taking their father out for medical treatment, said the elderly man has been living at the facility for six years and has not faced any problem.

A local vendor said complaints about food had surfaced earlier but insisted that he had "never heard of anything like torture".

Managed by the Jan Kalyan Trust, the ashram came under official scanner after Friday's raid conducted by the Noida Police and social welfare department officials. During the inspection, several elderly inmates were reportedly found locked in basement-like rooms, some half-clad or without clothes.

A total of 42 inmates were staying at the facility, with officials confirming that all of them would be relocated to government-approved old-age homes within five days.

Minister of State for Social Welfare Asim Arun told PTI in Lucknow on Friday that he had ordered a preliminary inquiry into the matter. "Once the report is available, we will be in a better position to take a call on what needs to be done," he said.

The officials have also confirmed that the elderly-care facility was operating illegally and had not presented the registration documents when asked.

While the facility remained unsealed on Saturday, district authorities said the process is underway, pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation. PTI