Chargesheet against Dr Purnima, 6 others

GORAKHPUR: Police on Friday filed a chargesheet against Dr Purnima Shukla, wife of ex-BRD principal Dr Rajeev Mishra and six others accused in the BRD case. More than 30 children died due to disruption in oxygen supply owing to non-payment of bills to oxygen supplying firm Pushpa Sales in August this year.

Barring Dr Rajeev Mishra and NHRM nodal officer/in charge paediatric wing at BRD medical college Dr Kafeel Khan, chargesheet has been filed against junior clerk Sudhir Pandey, assistant clerk Santosh Tripathi, junior clerk Uday Pratap, chief pharmacist Gajanan Jaiswal and Pushpa sales owner Maneesh Bhandari.

Investigating officer CO Cantt Asutosh Singh said chargesheet against Dr Rajeev and Dr Kafeel will be filed in November.

While Dr Rajeev and his wife were arrested from Kanpur, Dr Kafeel was nabbed in Gorakhpur. The other accused later surrendered before the court after police intensified raids following issue of non-bailable warrant.

OCT ‘TOLL’ : 370 KIDS, INCLUDING 240 NEW BORN

Death of children continued unabated in Gorakhpur’s BRD hospital with 370 more dying in October so far.

In August and September respectively, the hospital reported 418 and 433 deaths.

Last year, 349 children had died in the till October 25.

Of 378 admissions this months, 251 children died at the neonatal Intensive care unit ( NICU) while 119 kids died during treatment in general paediatric ward ( PICU) where 843 children were admitted since October 1. This includes 97 deaths in the encephalitis ward. Besides encephalitis, other diseases which accounted for the deaths include hypoxia, cardiovascular diseases, pneumonia, metabolic disorder etc.

The deaths continue despite the fact that the Yogi Adityanath government has upped medical facilities and appointed 20 more doctors.