Shocked, my daughter had no history of ailment: Father of deceased Jalandhar ashram inmate

The minor was the second inmate of the Children's Home to have died in the past two and a half months.

Meanwhile, superintendent, Children's Home, Gandhi Vanita Ashram, in her letter to the Director, Social Security and Women and Child Welfare, has stated health-related issues to be the cause behind the girl's death.

In her written intimation to the Director, the ashram superintendent has said that the minor inmate had reported of breathlessness, after which she died during treatment at the Civil Hospital.

The superintendent's letter to the Director states that the girl had arrived at the ashram on the directions of the Child Welfare Committee, Hoshiarpur, on January 18, 2025. The letter says the girl's health was also bad on February 5, after which she was taken to the Civil Hospital, Jalandhar, for treatment which had been started by the doctors after a medical test.

The letter further says that at 7.30 am on February 15, the girl had difficulty in breathing, after which she was taken to the Civil Hospital in a 108 ambulance. The girl died there during treatment, the letter adds. The same has been reiterated in a letter to the Department Director by the District Child Protection Officer.

Notably, the letter, written by the ashram auhtorities after the previous minor girl inmates's death, had also said that the girl had been found “collapsed” in a bathroom. However, an autopsy report had later specified 21 injuries, including lacerated wounds and brusies on her body.

The father of the girl, a resident of Hoshiarpur, who pursues daily wage labour for a living, while speaking to The Tribune, expressed shock at the girl's sudden death.

He said, "The news of my daughter's death is a shock to me. She never had any health problems. I met her every few months and last saw her on February 11. She was fine and only said that she had slight fever. She'd been talking to us on phone too and never complained of health problems, nor did we suspect anything. She doesn't have any history of ailments. On Sunday morning, the ashram authorities called me between 8 and 9 pm and said my daughter was not well. Twenty to 25 minutes later, they informed me that she had died. I could not believe it. We are only waiting for the autopsy to know the cause of her death."

 ‘Very disturbing episode’

"The deaths of two minor girls at the ashram, although prima facie for different reasons, is concerning. It is a very disturbing episode. We are initially awaiting a report from the local authorities. But an inquiry will be conducted into the reasons of the incidents and any possible lapses. The lack of FIRs in both cases is a matter with the local authorities and police, but we are looking at the issue." — Shena Aggarwal, Director, Department of Social Security and Women and Child Development