India News | Congress Demands Probe by HC Judge into Bhopal Children's Hospital Fire

Bhopal, Nov 9 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath on Tuesday demanded probe by a sitting high court judge in the fire at a government hospital here which claimed the lives of four infants.

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The main opposition party also claimed that the BJP government was suppressing information about other children who were affected by the blaze.

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Nath, a former chief minister, visited Kamla Nehru Children's Hospital where a major fire broke out in the special newborn care unit (SNCU) on Monday night. “Responsibility should be fixed. I demand that a high court judge should conduct an inquiry so that facts cannot be suppressed and concealed. The present inquiry is being conducted by those who might be involved in the incident,” he told reporters. "The children's family members said about 150 children were affected by the fire but information is being given only about 40. The family members are not being allowed to meet their children," he alleged. Those responsible for the incident should be booked under IPC section 302 (murder), the Congress leader added.

Leaders of the ruling BJP were busy with preparations for a proposed event of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bhopal on November 15 and not concerned about the fire and its victims, he said. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had earlier announced a high-level probe by Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Mohammad Suleman. Congress leaders including former Union minister Suresh Pachouri and MLA Arif Masood held a candle march on Tuesday evening to the residence of Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang and submitted a memorandum. They demanded ex-gratia help of Rs 50 lakh each for family members of the infants who died besides an inquiry by a committee of three sitting judges, a party statement said. They also demanded assistance of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of injured children. As many as 30 children were injured in the blaze, the party claimed.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)