Police arrest sixth accused

The Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday arrested an assistant clerk of the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College from Cantonment area here in connection with the death of over 30 children due to alleged disruption in oxygen supply at the state-run hospital in 48 hours between August 9 and 11.

Tripathi had been absconding ever since an FIR was lodged against him and eight others at Hazratganj police station in Lucknow on August 23. The case was later transferred to Gorakhpur’s Gulharia police station.

“He has been arrested today (Tuesday) around 1.30 pm in Cantt area,” Gorakhpur senior superintendent of police Anirudh Sidhartha Pankaj said.

With Tuesday’s arrest, the police have managed to nab six of the nine accused named in the FIR. Sudhir Pandey, another clerk, was arrested from near the Khajanchi Chowk area last week. On Monday, Dr Satish, the former head of the anaesthesia department at the BRD Medical College, had surrendered before the anti-corruption court here.

On September 2, ex-chief of the encephalitis wing in the hospital Dr Kafeel Khan was arrested, while the Special Task Force of UP police had arrested ex-principal Rajiv Mishra and his wife Purnima Shukla on August 29.

Mishra was suspended as principal of the medical college on August 12 after the deaths were reported. He had resigned the same day taking moral responsibility.

A committee headed by chief secretary Rajive Kumar probing the Gorakhpur tragedy had recommended initiating criminal action against Mishra, Dr Satish, Dr Khan and Pushpa Sales, the supplier of oxygen cylinders.

There were allegations that the deaths occurred due to a disruption in oxygen supply over unpaid bills to the vendor. The state government had vehemently denied that shortage of oxygen led to the deaths.

Mishra was accused of sitting over the issue of payments to the vendor supplying oxygen to the hospital. More than 60 children, mostly infants, had died at the hospital within a week last month.