NHRC issues notices to Rajasthan govt, DGP over deaths due to fire in ICU of govt-run hospital in Jaipur

New Delhi, Oct 14 (PTI) The NHRC on Tuesday said it has issued notices to the Rajasthan government and the state's police chief in connection with the death of several patients in a fire at the trauma centre ICU of a government-run hospital in Jaipur.

Reportedly, the tragic incident at Jaipur's largest hospital has raised "grim questions about the preparedness of the administration" and the health system, the NHRC said.

In a statement, the rights panel said it has "taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that eight patients died and three others were critically injured in a fire at the trauma centre ICU of the government-run Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan on October 6".

A massive fire blazed through the neuro ICU of the hospital in the dead of the night, officials said on Monday.

The state government has directed the formation of a high-level investigation committee, the NHRC said.

The commission has observed that the content of the media report, if true, raises a serious issue of human rights violation of the victims.

Therefore, it has issued notices to the chief secretary and the director general of police of the government of Rajasthan, seeking a detailed report in two weeks. The report is expected to include the status of the compensation, if any, provided to the next of kin of the victims, the statement said.

According to the media report, carried on October 6, 18 patients were admitted in the ICU and semi-ICU wards of the hospital when the fire broke out. The fire and toxic smoke reportedly hampered the rescue operations, it said.

In a separate statement, the NHRC said it has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that seven workers died and four others were critically injured in an explosion at a firecracker manufacturing unit at Komaripalem village in the Ambedkar Konaseema district, Andhra Pradesh, on October 8.

Reportedly, the owner of the manufacturing unit also died in the incident, it said.

The commission has observed that the content of the media report, if true, raises a serious issue of human rights violation of the victims.

"Therefore, it has issued notices to the chief secretary and the director general of police, Andhra Pradesh calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks. The report is expected to include the status of the compensation, if any, provided to the next of kin of the victims," it said.

According to the media report, carried on October 8, 12 workers were inside the unit at the time of the explosion. Reportedly, police suspect an "error" in the mixture of explosive material. The injured are undergoing treatment at different hospitals, the rights panel said. PTI KND MNK MNK