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Indian police arrest director of unlicensed hospital where babies died in fire
A devastating fire at an unlicensed hospital in Delhi claimed the lives of seven newborns, leading to the arrest of the hospital's director, Dr Naveen Kichi, and a doctor whose identity the police only revealed as Akash.
A blaze engulfed the hospital building on Saturday. Photo Credit: Reuters
A devastating fire at an unlicensed hospital in Delhi claimed the lives of seven newborns, leading to the arrest of the hospital’s director, Dr Naveen Kichi, and a doctor whose identity the police only revealed as Akash.
According to the report by BBC, authorities found out that the facility lacked the necessary license to operate and did not have basic fire safety precautions in place.
Twelve babies were in the hospital at the time of the incident, and the five survivors are currently undergoing care elsewhere. Authorities stated that Dr. Akash was not qualified to treat newborns who required critical care.
The fire broke out on Saturday in the Vivek Vihar neighbourhood, hours after another tragic blaze killed 27 people at a gaming arcade in Rajkot, Gujarat. Rescue operations were hindered by the building’s poor design, which included just one stairway and no emergency exits.
Atul Garg, director of Delhi’s fire department, reported that the fire spread quickly due to an explosion in an oxygen cylinder. According to reports, the authorities are looking into alleged unlawful actions concerning the hospital’s oxygen cylinder refilling.
Surendra Chaudhary, the Shahdara Police Commissioner, informed the ANI news agency that the hospital’s No Objection Certificate (NOC), which is required for fire safety compliance, expired on March 31. Also, the facility had exceeded its permitted capacity, operating ten beds rather than the approved five.
Police have, therefore, charged Dr. Naveen Kichi and Dr. Akash, the on-call physician, with culpable homicide.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed his sadness at the tragedy and promised that those involved will face repercussions.
“The causes of the incident are being investigated and whoever is responsible for this negligence will not be spared,” Mr Kejriwal said as quoted by the BBC.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also described the incident as “heart-rending” and announced compensation for the victims’ families and the injured.
