Chained, Soiled And Forgotten: 39 Elderly Rescued From Noida Old-Age Home Of Horror (Video)

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves across Uttar Pradesh, 39 elderly men and women were rescued from Anand Niketan Vridha Ashram, a privately run old-age home in Noida’s Sector 55, after a video exposing their inhumane living conditions went viral on social media.

The short clip, which surfaced online earlier this week and was forwarded to the Social Welfare Department in Lucknow, showed an elderly woman lying on the floor, her hands tied, in a dark, foul-smelling room. The footage triggered an immediate response from the Uttar Pradesh State Women’s Commission and Noida police, who raided the facility on Friday.

What the officials uncovered was a house of horror. Many elderly residents were found locked in small, stinking rooms, their clothes soaked in urine and feces, some with no clothes at all.

नोएडा सेक्टर-55 के ओल्ड एज होम पर राज्य महिला आयोग, नोएडा पुलिस और समाज कल्याण विभाग ने संयुक्त छापेमारी की।

दयनीय हालत में रह रहे 39 बुजुर्गों को रेस्क्यू किया गया — कोई बीमार मिला तो किसी के हाथ बंधे हुए थे। pic.twitter.com/7ddhqm9q7L

— Greater Noida West (@GreaterNoidaW) June 27, 2025

“Some of the male inmates were kept in what looked like basement cells, completely unclothed and covered in filth. The women were in equally bad shape — barely dressed, with no access to toilets or caregivers. We found people tied up like animals,” said Meenakshi Bharala, a member of the Women’s Commission who led the inspection.

Shockingly, the old-age home had no trained staff or medical personnel. A woman claiming to be a nurse admitted that she had only completed her 12th grade and had no formal medical training. There were no doctors, no regular health checks, and no system in place to manage food, medication, or hygiene.

Investigations revealed that the ashram charged each family Rs 2.5 lakh as a one-time donation, along with Rs 6,000 per month per inmate for food and lodging. Despite these payments, the residents were left to rot in neglect.

The revelation has triggered outrage from civil society groups and NGOs. Sushanto Ghosh, secretary, of Bondhu Mahal, a Lucknow-based NGO, condemned the incident in strong terms.

“This is nothing short of elder abuse and human rights violation. You cannot lock away your parents and expect them to survive in such degrading conditions. We urge the government to shut down such sham homes and take over their management immediately. Bondhu Mahal stands ready to support rehabilitation efforts,” he said.

Authorities have since filed a case against the ashram’s management under sections of criminal negligence, wrongful confinement, and cruelty. Plans are underway to shift the rescued elderly to a government-run senior citizen care center, where they will receive proper medical attention, food, and shelter.

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Officials from the Social Welfare Department said that the process of screening all private old-age homes across Gautam Buddh Nagar district has now been fast-tracked.

The rescue has sparked a broader conversation about the urgent need for regulation, accountability, and compassion in elderly care systems across India. NGOs like Bondhu Mahal and other social workers have called for routine inspections, mandatory licensing, and a public grievance mechanism for families and whistleblowers to report abuse.

As Noida reels from the revelations, the silent cries of the elderly serve as a stark reminder: abandonment in the name of care is the cruelest betrayal of all.