Delhi Fire Tragedy: Hospital Being Run Illegally? Shocking Lapses Exposed

New Delhi: In a significant development in the probe of the Delhi hospital fire tragedy that left seven babies dead, it has come to light that the permit of the baby care nursing home had expired on March 31 and the hospital was being run illegally.

On Saturday, a massive fire engulfed the Newborn Baby Care Hospital in Delhi’s Vivek Vihar area. A total of 12 babies were evacuated from the hospital, out of which seven died and five are still battling for life. Soon after, the Delhi government ordered a magisterial inquiry into the matter. Several glaring lapses have come to fore in the fire incident.

No Fire NOC

Moreover, the permit was given to the hospital for only five beds but around 25 to 30 children were admitted at the hospital when the fire broke out. The hospital was not given any NOC by the Delhi fire department.

Additionally, there was no proper arrangement for proper entry and exit at the hospital. There was no emergency exit either. Earlier, a case of negligence was filed against the establishment. The police said that there was no fire extinguisher installed in the hospital for any emergency in case of fire and there was no emergency exit. 

IMA Doctors Extend Support to Accused

Meanwhile, IMA doctors on Monday reached Vivek Vihar police station to extend support to the accused doctor and hospital owner Naveen Khichi (45). 

This is not the first time that this hospital has come under the scanner. Previously in 2021, the hospital had come under scrutiny when a case was registered against a nurse who criminally intimidated a baby.

What We Know So Far

So far, two people, including the hospital owner Khichi, have been arrested. Apart from Khichi, Aakash (26), the doctor on duty at the time of incident was also arrested. 

The deceased children included four boys and three girls. All were 15 days old except one boy aged 25 days. A case has been registered at Vivek Vihar police station under IPC sections 336 (act endangering life and personal safety of others) and 304A (causing death by negligence), 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide). 

The initial cause of the fire is stated to be a short circuit but a probe is on, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Surendra Choudhary had earlier said. Officials of the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said the blaze broke out at the Baby Care New Born Hospital at around 11:30 pm on Saturday and soon spread to two other adjacent buildings. 

Oxygen cylinders kept in the two-storey building exploded due to which the adjacent buildings were damaged, he said. 

PM Announces Rs 2L Ex Gratia For Kin of Deceased

Prime Minister Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to the parents of the injured.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said those guilty will not be spared and strict action will be taken against them. Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj also said the strictest punishment will be given to those found negligent or involved in any wrongdoing. 

The police said during the course of the investigation it was also found that the 'Baby Care New Born Child Hospital' has three more such branches in Delhi's Punjabi Bagh and Haryana's Faridabad and Gurugram.