DCW summons FRRO officials over death of South African woman

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued summons to the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in connection with the death of a South African girl who was allegedly illegally detained at a beggar home since December.
"A girl from South Africa who was detained by FRRO since December 2016 has died in hospital. She was ill and was urgently released yesterday by FRRO after her medical condition became critical. The arbitrary release of the girl by FRRO at a time when she was critically ill amounted to abandoning the girl in time of need," DCW chief Swati Maliwal said in a letter to FRRO.

"The Commission is in receipt of several complaints alleging wrongdoings by FRRO officials and no action has been taken on the same. We have observed that the functioning of the FRRO is non-transparent and the women detainees, some of whom are refugees, are mostly unaware of the reasons for their detention, the proposed dates of deportation and are not provided any legal support," she added.
The women's body had last month issued a notice to FRRO over the same issue following an inspection by Maliwal at the beggar home in Nirmal Chhaya complex.
"The FRRO has informed us that only those foreign nationals are supposed to be detained in the Restriction Centre who are required to be immediately deported/ repatriated back to their native countries," she further said.

The FRRO officials have been asked to appear before the commission on February 22.
Yesterday, DCW had also issued summons to Delhi Police for alleged inaction over a complaint of sexual harassment by an Uzbek woman at the same beggar home.