A 35-year-old inmate died under suspicious circumstances at a government-run shelter home in Dehradun, prompting the Uttarakhand State Commission for Women to order a high-level investigation. The commission took serious note of the alleged suicide at the Nari Niketan facility and sought an immediate report from the district administration.
Commission Chairperson Kusum Kandwal directed District Magistrate Savin Bansal to ensure a detailed inquiry into the incident. She stated that such an घटना in a government institution responsible for women’s safety and mental well-being raises serious concerns about administrative functioning and monitoring systems.
According to District Probation Officer Meena Bisht, the deceased had been staying at the facility for the past six months and was reportedly showing signs of improvement. She was last seen sleeping during a routine check at around 11 pm, but during the next round at 3 am, she was found hanging from a staircase railing. The four-hour gap has raised questions about supervision and adherence to night-time safety protocols.
The commission has ordered a thorough examination of the role of all staff members on duty at the time of the incident. It has sought clarity on possible lapses in monitoring and directed officials to identify accountability if negligence is found.
In addition, the commission has recommended corrective measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents. These include enhancing security arrangements for mentally vulnerable inmates, increasing the number of CCTV cameras, and strengthening night shift staffing. Continuous monitoring in sensitive wards and corridors has also been emphasised.
Authorities have also been asked to investigate whether the woman was under any external pressure or psychological distress due to personal or family-related issues. The commission has made it clear that strict departmental and legal action will be taken against those found responsible.
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District Magistrate Savin Bansal confirmed that a postmortem has been conducted and a comprehensive inquiry is underway. He added that steps will be taken to strengthen safety arrangements at the Nari Niketan.
