3 docs complicit, 2 negligent, says kidney scam report Bridge fall: Search ops to be called off

A report by the state’s Directorate of Health Services (DHS), which led to the arrest of five doctors from Powai’s Hiranandani hospital, states that three of the doctors were directly involved in the illegal kidney transplant racket, while the other two were negligent at the least, a source told HT. The five doctors arrested are Hiranandani hospital CEO Dr Sujeet Chaterjee, medical director Dr Anurag Naik, nephrologist Dr Mukesh Shete, and urologists Dr Mukesh Shah and Dr Prakash Shetty.

According to the DHS report, Dr Shete was a central figure in the racket, while the two urologists played supporting roles. A DHS official said that while there is still no evidence that Dr Chatterjee and Dr Naik were directly involved, they had failed to ensure that other doctors at the hospital adhered to the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994.

Meanwhile, the police have found more people from outside Maharashtra who were targeted by unscrupulous agents and will record their statements soon. The police told a court they are also checking whether two more doctors were involved in the racket.

The National Disaster Response Force and the Indian Navy are likely to call off search operations on the Savitri river, after more than a week of scouring the area for victims of the bridge collapse.

The state government, however, will continue surveying the area until all bodies are found.

Relief and rehabilitation minister Chandrakant Patil hinted on Wednesday there was no point continuing with the search and rescue, as the bodies may not be in a good condition. “The central agencies are finding it difficult as there are many crocodiles in the riverbed. We hope the missing people are in the two state transport buses that are yet to be traced. But we will have to decide about the operation very soon,” he said. Patil said a few boats will operate until all bodies are found.

The agencies and the government said they may be able to spot the buses by Thursday as water has started receding, and hope the bodies are trapped in them.

The government on Wednesday asked states to identify and barricade ‘selfie danger’ areas, the first attempt to curb a growing craze for the perfect shot that has led to several fatalities in the country in the past couple of years.

Though there is no official data on the number of people who died taking selfies, reports said at least 54 people have been killed in India since 2014.

Last year, India recorded the highest number of selfie deaths — 15 out of 27 — in the world, according to a Washington Post report.

Officials said the tourism ministry has issued an advisory to all states asking them to identify tourist spots that are prone to accidents, installing signages warning visitors of the danger involved in taking selfies and barricading areas wherever danger is identified.

The letter signed by the tourism ministry additional director general Meenakshi Sharma also recommended posting volunteers or tourist police at such places. Sharma also sought awareness drives through social and other media.

The identification of the potential danger zones will be done by the states.

An official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the advisory ahead of Independence Day was part of security measures for the celebrations but will remain in force.

Some states — including Maharashtra and Karnataka — have already identified selfie danger zones and put up signs.