Action follows Chief Secretary's report recommending action over delay in making payment to oxygen supplier
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed lodging of FIRs against the former principal of BRD Medical College, and five others in connection with the death of 31 children at the hospital early this month.
The Chief Minister issued the order after high-level committee, headed by Chief Secretary Rajive Kumar, submitted its report on Sunday night. The Chief Secretary has recommended action against those found guilty in connection with delay in making payment to oxygen supplier.
A senior IPS officer at the DGP office confirmed that they have been directed to lodge cases against the suspended principal Dr RK Mishra and five others at the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow.
The Chief Minister has also ordered removal of Additional Chief Secretary Medical Education Anita Bhatnagar Jain for ignoring reminders for timely payment of the oxygen supplier. She has been posted as Director General Training.
It may be recalled that 31 children had died at the hospital between August 10 and 12, after the company snapped supply of oxygen on August 9. Dr Mishra was suspended by Medical Education Minister Ashutosh tendon on August 12.
The five-member magisterial inquiry, constituted by the Gorakhpur District Magistrate Rajeev Rautela, had admitted to oxygen breakdown at the hospital and indicted Dr Mishra and five others in its report.
& Analysis
As many as 60 infants had died at BRD College in a span of 48 hours, allegedly due to snapping of oxygen supply by the supplier, thanks to pending payments.
The state government had initially stoutly refuted this charge and maintained that there was no shortage of liquid oxygen at the hospital.
Though the government argued that the deaths were due to encephalitis, the action proves that there was merit in the allegation.
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