Lucknow shelter home authorities claim full cooperation in probe, results awaited
Probe team constituted by DM has taken statements of all shelter workers, including the founder; post-mortem of four children completed
The Nirvan Rajkiya Bal Griha Visheshikrit , which has been under scrutiny for over a week now following the en masse hospitalisation of children and five deaths, on Sunday claimed that it is cooperating in the administration’s probe. Nirvan Rajkiya Bal Griha Visheshikrit is a shelter home for children with special needs in Lucknow.
Meanwhile, the post-mortem of four children has been completed, according to the Chief Medical Officer’s office. “But these findings are confidential, and we cannot share the results of the same,” said an official who did not want to be named.
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The official further said children at the shelter already have health complications such as epilepsy, tuberculosis, and others.
The probe team constituted by the district magistrate has collected the statements of all the shelter workers, including the founder, and the investigation is still underway. The results of the probe, once complete, will be shared in due course of time, said district probation officer Vikas Singh.
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For its part, the shelter management said it is working on completing the remaining tests and health screening of a few of the inmates.
Nirvan founder Dr Suresh Dhapola said, “We are working with the administration in their probe, and concentrating on ensuring that the children at the shelter home remain healthy.”
Dr Dhapola claimed all children residing at the shelter now are in good health, while some are still admitted and recovering in Lok Bandhu Hospital, Balrampur Hospital, and King George’s Medical University.
“We are hoping that in a few days the remaining children can return to the shelter,” he added.
Superintendent of the shelter home Preeti Mishra said 42 children had been recommended CT-scans, X-rays and ultrasounds.
“Thirty-one of the children have completed their tests, and the rest 11 are being taken to Lok Bandhu Hospital on Monday,” she said, which was confirmed by Lok Bandhu Hospital chief medical superintendent Dr Rajeev Dixit.
