New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Saturday issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the state’s Director General of Police (DGP) regarding a tragic fire at the children’s ward of a Jhansi medical college, which claimed the lives of 10 newborns. The Commission has called the incident “disturbing” and requested a detailed report within a week.
The NHRC highlighted that the reports indicate “negligence” and amount to a “grave violation” of the victims’ human rights, as they were under the care of a government institution.
In its statement, the NHRC said it had taken suo motu cognizance of media reports regarding the fire in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Maharani Laxmibai Medical College on Friday night. The blaze resulted in 16 injured infants, while 37 others were rescued. Police have confirmed that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit, with the deceased infants reportedly in incubators.
The NHRC’s notice to the Chief Secretary and the DGP seeks:
- The status of the FIR filed in the case.
- Actions taken against responsible officials.
- Details of medical care provided to the injured.
- Information on compensation offered to affected families.
- Preventive measures implemented or planned to avoid such incidents in the future.
The Uttar Pradesh government has also constituted a four-member committee to investigate the incident, the NHRC noted.
