Noida: Unregistered Old-Age Home Raided; Elderly Found Tied Up, Unclothed

In a disturbing case that has sparked outrage, Noida police—alongside members of the Uttar Pradesh State Women Commission and the State Welfare Department—rescued 42 elderly residents from an unregistered old-age home on Thursday. The facility, Anand Niketan Vridha Seva Ashram, located in Sector 55, was found to be operating illegally and in extremely poor conditions.

Authorities were alerted after disturbing photos and videos surfaced online, showing an elderly woman tied up inside the ashram. When the raid was carried out, officers discovered elderly women in restraints and many others living in basement-like rooms, some without clothing. Officials described the ashram as unhygienic and unfit for human habitation.

Meenakshi Bharala from the Women’s Commission confirmed that the facility had been in operation since 1994, but shockingly, it had never been registered with any government authority. “This home was illegal, and what we saw inside was heartbreaking,” she said.

After the rescue operation, three of the residents were immediately shifted to a state-run facility, while the others are expected to be relocated to registered old-age homes within five days. Officials also confirmed that the ashram would be sealed.

What’s more troubling is the financial exploitation revealed during the investigation. Families were being charged as much as ₹2.5 lakh per resident, in addition to a ₹20,000 security deposit and monthly fees of ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 for basic needs. Despite these hefty sums, there was no trained caregiving staff on-site, and residents were left to fend for themselves. Many were found in clothes stained with urine and faeces.

One woman, presented as a nurse, was discovered to have no medical qualifications—she was simply a school graduate. When questioned, the ashram’s management defended their actions by saying that some residents were tied up to stop them from harming themselves or others. But officials slammed this justification, calling it a gross violation of human dignity.