Two more homeless persons died in the city on Thursday, taking the death toll due to severe cold wave conditions among the homeless to four in the last 48 hours.
The deceased include a 60-year-old man who was found dead near Ram Leela Ground night shelter. Another 30-year-old man was found on the foothpath near Manav Mangal School, Mehrauli-Badarpur-Road.
The city had also reported two deaths on Wednesday: one of a 30-year-old homeless man, who was found dead near a night shelter in Fatehpuri, another an 85-year-old man from Polli Kothi area in Lahori Gate.
Blaming the dipping mercury and the lack of space in the city night shelters for the deaths, Sunil Kumar Aledia of Shahri Adhikar Manch: Begharon Ke Saath, working in the area of welfare for the homeless in the city said, “Within two days the city has reported four deaths among the homeless. These persons have died due to cold wave conditions and the lack of adequate care. The bodies have been kept for post-mortem and possible claim.”
He added that previously one woman had died on January 7 and that the city has reported 16 homeless deaths from the North District and six from Central District.
To taking a first hand account of the severe lack of space that hits night shelters during winters, The Hindu , visited the Fatehpuri night shelter on Thursday night. It was found that the shelter which has a capacity of 270 person was packed with nearly 400 persons.
Brijesh Kumar, who takes care of the centre, said: “We had a death here on Tuesday night and we are careful not to refuse shelter to anyone during the night in winters. Lack of space, alcohol and drug abuse and winter related ailments and infections are rampant. And being near the Old Delhi Railway station, the pressure on this night shelter is tremendous.”
