Culpable homicide charges for guilty in death of three newborns: Maha Minister
Mumbai, Aug 24 (IANS) Revenue Minister and Amravati Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Monday warned that strict action, including charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, will be taken against anyone found guilty in the tragic Amravati hospital incident in which three newborns suffocated to death due to heavy smoke. Rescuers successfully evacuated 36 children from the unit, while six were shifted to a private hospital for urgent care.
Asserting that no individual, whether a government official or a private contractor, will be spared, Minister Bawankule confirmed that a thorough investigation is underway to probe technical lapses, malfunctioning fire‑safety systems, equipment maintenance and operational failures.
He said the investigation will cover the installation date of fire‑safety systems, the vendor agency, maintenance records, automatic valve operations and ceiling sprinklers.
He stated that negligence in maintenance or flawed technical installations by contractors and officials warrants culpable homicide charges without compromise. Authorities are also reviewing the 2022 Amravati hospital incident report following allegations of an incomplete inquiry, he said.
Earlier, Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar claimed that the Mahayuti government has dragged Maharashtra into a ditch. He said the state’s healthcare system has completely collapsed and the government must take moral responsibility for the deaths of the infants. He demanded an inquiry into the negligence of the Health Department and insisted that a case of culpable homicide be registered against the Health Minister and senior officials concerned.
“When an innocent female student dies of a snakebite at a residential school (Ashramshala) in Gadchiroli, action is taken against the institution’s management. Therefore, if three newborns were charred to death due to security lapses at a government hospital, the Health Minister must take responsibility for this incident. No safety audit had been conducted for the government hospital. Government hospitals across the state face a shortage of doctors, a scarcity of medicines and a lack of essential medical facilities in many places,” said Wadettiwar.
He further stated that if regular fire‑safety and general security audits of hospitals are not taking place, the responsibility lies solely with the department concerned.
“Whether it is Bhandara or Amravati, investigation reports are issued after every incident, but when will those reports actually be implemented?” he questioned.
–IANS
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