Gorakhpur: Yogi Adityanath breaks down; says guilty will not be spared

A day after the Uttar Pradesh government suspended the principal of a BRD medical college in Gorakhpur following the deaths of at least 30 children, chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Sunday visited the hospital to take stock of the situation.

The entry of attendants into the encephalitis ward has been restricted during their visit. Earlier today, a four-year-old boy suffering from encephalitis died, taking the total death toll to 72 in the last six days.

Speaking to media, Yogi Adityanath said that let reports of probe committee come and the guilty would not be spared ''Assure you, if anyone's negligence caused death of a person, in any part of UP,he won't be spared,'' he said.

"Nobody can be more sensitive towards those children than me," he told reporters.

He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured that Centre would provide every assistance possible in the matter. "A team of doctors from Delhi have visited the hospital to inspect the arrangements and take stock of the situation," he told reporters.

While the recent deaths are being blamed on the possible disruption of oxygen supply in medical wards, the state government ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident on Saturday. UP Health Minister Sidhartha Nath Singh, however, said the oxygen supply went down on August 10, but the situation was brought under control within a few hours.

Meanwhile, the Yogi-led government is facing criticism from opposition parties, with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and BSP Chief Mayawati alleging negligence.

At least 70 children have died since August 10 in Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College Hospital amid allegations that a private contractor stopped supplying oxygen cylinders.

OneIndia News