Gorakhpur tragedy repeats in Farrukhabad, at least 49 children die due to 'lack of oxygen'

Amid ongoing row over Gorakhpur tragedy, at least 49 children died at the district hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Farrukhabad during the period of one month, allegedly due to lack of oxygen supply.

The death of children comes after at least 30 children died in a state-run hospital in Gorakhpur on August 10-11 amid allegations of oxygen shortage.

The 49 deaths took place between July 21 and August 20 in the Sick Newborn Care Unit of the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, reported News18.

However, the FIR in the case was lodged on Sunday night against the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Medical Superintendent. The District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar has ordered a probe into the incident. 

The District Magistrate has also mentioned in the FIR that the parents of the dead children have said that the doctors did not put any oxygen tube, the report said.

“A case has been registered against the CMO, CMS and some other doctors. Further action will be taken as the investigation proceeds,” said Dayanand Mishra, SP Farrukhabad.

In connection with the Gorakhpur tragedy, the Special Task Force has arrested Dr Kafeel Khan, a former nodal officer of the AES ward at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College.

There was, however, no let up in the spate of deaths in the state-run hospital where 13 more children died in the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll to 1,317 so far this year.

Khan's is the third arrest made by the STF in the case after a former principal of the medical college, Rajiv Mishra, and his wife, Purnima, were taken into custody by the UP STF on August 29 for questioning in connection with the deaths.