Hospital owner's bragging on patients' death: UP sets up panel to probe

Agra: The district commission on Wednesday set up a two-man inquiry committee to investigate the allegations levelled against the deaths of 22 patients due to oxygen supply suspension by a private hospital in Agra as part of a "mock drill".

Two days ago, the alleged video, in which the owner of the Paras Hospital is heard bragging of the heinous crime, had gone viral on social media.

The district commission has directed the committee to submit the report in two days.

A massive outrage had sparked among people, following which the Agra district administration has sealed off the hospital and registered a case against the owners under the Epidemics Act. The licence of the hospital has also been suspended.

The 50 odd patients in the Paras hospital, have been transferred to other hospitals.

Agra District Magistrate P.N. Singh has denied any shortage of oxygen which could have led to the fatalities. He also added that a thorough investigation could be ordered if relatives of the deceased complain.

The official figure of death on April 26, the night oxygen supply was alleged to have been cut off resulting in 22 deaths, was only seven, sources said.

This mismatch in figures would be hard to explain, for the district administration.

This is the second time Paras Hospital has been in news. The same hospital was sealed last year, in the first lockdown for anomalies and patients had to be shifted to the Sefai hospital.

In Lucknow, the state government has already ordered a magisterial inquiry into the allegations.

Leaders of various opposition parties, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, have demanded firm action against the hospital. Congress workers raised slogans at the hospital gate demanding the arrest of the owners Tuesday evening.

The hospital management has been at pains to explain the content of the viral video, but the public ire and the backlog of pent up emotions of victims against the medical fraternity, in general, has raised the pitch so high that the so-called "friendly" sources in the ruling party and administration of the hospital owners have backed out this time.

On social media, a lot of questions are being asked of the IMA which has not shown the courage to come to the aid of the doctor-owner of the Paras Hospital.