Discrepancies, several versions on Gorakhpur infant deaths

Lucknow: Even as the Yogi Adityanath government continues to deny that 30 children had died in a day at the BRD Medical College due to disruption in oxygen supply on August 10, a letter written by Dr R.S. Shukla, the chief medical superintendent, to Dr Rajeev Misra, the suspended college principal, shows that oxygen had “totally dried up” on the ill-fated day.

Dr Shukla in his letter said, “The stock of liquid oxygen has totally dried up in the medical college.” In this regard, a meeting, attended by doctors, including the HOD pediatrics department, was held on August 11, to review the situation”. As per the letter, “You (Dr. Misra) are, therefore, requested to ensure availability of oxygen at the earliest in order to save precious lives.”

Uttar Pradesh minister for medical education Ashutosh Tandon has also landed in a controversy after he wrote a letter informing MLC C.P. Chand that a probe into the charges against Dr Misra was ordered on July 10 — a month before the tragedy came calling.  The letter, allegedly signed by the minister, read, “The director general of medical education has been ordered to conduct the investigation”.

Mr Tandon informed Mr Chand because the latter had raised allegations of corruption against Dr Misra in the legislative council on May 22.  The charge against Dr. Misra was that he had been misusing government funds in allocation of tenders. But ever since the deat-hs were reported, the medical education minister maintained a studied silence on the probe.