Jhansi medical college fire: Akhilesh demands Rs 1 crore for each victim

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday demanded Rs 1 crore in compensation to each family that has tragically lost a child in a fire at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College in Jhansi.

A fire broke out around 10.45 pm on Friday in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College. 

Initially, the officials suspected that the fire broke out due to an electrical short circuit.

However, Yadav in a post on X said that the fire reportedly originated from the 'oxygen concentrator,' pointing to either negligence by the medical management or a fault in the equipment's quality.

The Samajwadi Party supremo demanded that immediate accountability must be enforced against those responsible.

“Initially, the Uttar Pradesh BJP government must ensure that all children injured in the fire receive top-tier medical care. Additionally, the government should offer Rs 1 crore in compensation to each family that has tragically lost a child,” he said.

“The news of 10 children dying and many children getting injured due to fire in Jhansi Medical College is extremely sad and worrying. Heartfelt tribute to everyone,” Yadav said.

Attacking the Yogi Adityanath government, Yadav said that the Chief Minister needed to step away from electioneering and his misleading assertions of normalcy, and address the dire state of health services head-on. 

“Only the bereaved families can truly comprehend the depth of their loss, highlighting this incident as both a governmental and moral failing. It's imperative that politicians involved in the electoral process conduct a forthright investigation into this tragedy, pushing for comprehensive reforms within the Health and Medical Ministry,” Yadav remarked.

Talking about Health Minister Brajesh Pathak, who is also the deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yadav said, “His tenure has significantly contributed to the decline of the state's healthcare system. Engaged more with petty communal politics than with governance, he seems oblivious to his primary role. Lacking both authority and resolve, his position appears to be nothing more than a nominal title.”

Yadav cautioned that the tragic events of Gorakhpur are never repeated.

झाँसी मेडिकल कॉलेज में आग लगने से 10 बच्चों की मृत्यु एवं कई बच्चों के घायल होने का समाचार बेहद दुखद एवं चिंताजनक है। सबके प्रति संवेदनात्मक श्रद्धांजलि।

आग का कारण ‘ऑक्सीजन कॉन्संट्रेटर’ में आग लगना बताया जा रहा है। ये सीधे-सीधे चिकत्सीय प्रबंधन व प्रशासन की लापरवाही का मामला… pic.twitter.com/639O0QHPPK

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) November 16, 2024

Ealier in the morning, Pathak rushed to the hospital with top officials of the health department and ordred a magisterial probe. 

Talking to the reporters outside the hospital, Pathak said, "The death of the newborns is very unfortunate. Along with the family members, we are trying to identify the bodies of newborns...the first probe will be done at the administrative level which will be done by health department, second probe will be conducted by the Police administration...fire department team will also be a part of it, third, instructions have been given for magisterial probe as well. The cause of the fire will be probed...if any lapses are found, those who would be responsible, strict action will be taken against them and no one will be spared. The govt is with the family members of the children.”