3 sisters 'die of starvation' in Delhi, magisterial probe ordered

Three sisters were found dead in east Delhi's Mandawali area and the initial post-mortem report indicated that they died of starvation, prompting the city government to order a magisterial probe into the matter.

The girls, aged two, four and eight, were brought to a hospital by their mother and a friend at around 1 pm yesterday, and the hospital authorities informed police about their deaths.

A board of doctors conducted a re-examination at the GTB hospital, Pankaj Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (east), said.

According to the initial post-mortem report, the girls died due to "malnourishment/starvation and its complications".

A forensic team inspected the place where the family was staying and found some medicine bottles and pills for treating loose motion, police said.

The girls' father, a casual labourer, is missing since yesterday, though locals said he had gone in search of work and would return in a couple of days.

No injury marks were found on the bodies, they said.

"The Delhi government has ordered a magisterial probe into the matter," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said in a tweet.

Initially, it seemed to be a case of natural death but with the medicine bottles being recovered, police want to ensure that there was no foul play in the death of the girls.

Locals said the family had shifted to the area on Saturday, and they did not have much interaction with them.

The girls' father used to ride a rickshaw on rent. After it was stolen a few days ago, they were brought to the area by a friend, who had given them shelter at his residence.

Two of the sisters, aged two and four, had been unwell for a few days. They suffered bouts of vomiting and loose motion, the locals said.

The eldest sister had gone to school yesterday, the locals said. Police are probing as to how she also fell ill suddenly.

Police said they are investigating the case from all angles, including the girls dying of malnourishment.

The father's friend, who had accompanied their mother to the hospital, told police that the children were unwell and he took them to the hospital.

The girls' mother is not "mentally sound" and told police that she did not know what happened to her daughters and how they died.