“Government Negligence”: Rahul Gandhi On Jhansi Hospital Fire That Killed 10 Newborns
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has criticised the Uttar Pradesh government following the tragic fire at Jhansi Medical College that claimed the lives of ten newborns. Gandhi expressed his condolences to the grieving families and raised concerns over administrative failures.
In a statement, he said, “I am deeply saddened by the death and injury of several newborn children in the tragic accident at Jhansi Medical College. Such incidents happening repeatedly in Uttar Pradesh raise serious questions about the negligence of the government and the administration. The injured children must receive the best treatment, and this incident should be thoroughly investigated with strict legal action against the culprits.”
The fire, which broke out in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College around 10:45 pm on Friday, was reportedly caused by a short circuit. Thick smoke engulfed the ward, leading to chaos as medical staff attempted to rescue patients by breaking windows.
झांसी मेडिकल कॉलेज में हुए दर्दनाक हादसे में कई नवजात बच्चों की मृत्यु और घायल होने की ख़बर से बेहद दुखी हूं। पीड़ित परिवारों के प्रति अपनी गहरी संवेदनाएं व्यक्त करता हूं।
उत्तर प्रदेश में एक के बाद एक हो रही इस तरह की दुखद घटनाएं सरकार और प्रशासन की लापरवाही को लेकर कई गंभीर… https://t.co/laOgOvK2Js
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 16, 2024
District Magistrate Avinash Kumar confirmed the deaths and said, “A committee has been formed to probe the incident. While many children were rescued, initial reports indicate that ten newborns lost their lives.”
Heartbreaking scenes unfolded as families mourned their loss, with one mother crying, “My baby has burnt to death.”
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called the incident “heartbreaking” and directed officials to expedite rescue efforts. Meanwhile, the hospital faces scrutiny over potential safety lapses contributing to this devastating tragedy.
