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61 children, mostly newborns and infants, dead in last 72 hours at Gorakhpur Hospital, State silent

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9 years ago

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61 children, mostly newborns and infants, dead in last 72 hours at Gorakhpur Hospital, State silent

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]File photo of children admitted at encephalitis ward of BRD hospital, Gorakhpur

Baba Raghav Das (BRD) hospital, situated in chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s constituency, was recently in news when over 30 children admitted at the facility died within 48 hours due to disruption in oxygen supply

As many as 61 children – mostly newborns and infants – have been reported dead at Gorakhpur’s Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Hospital in just the last 72 hours. This is the same medical facility – the biggest in Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s pocket borough which receives patients from 36 eastern UP districts, Bihar and Nepal – where over 30 children had died on August 10 and 11 due to disruption in the hospital’s oxygen supply.

The latest spate of deaths was reported on August 27, 28 and 29. Although the hospital is yet to officially declare the number of deaths and what caused them, local media reports claim that 11 children had died at the hospital’s encephalitis ward while 25 each had been reported dead from the neo-natal intensive care unit (NNICU) and the general pediatric ward.

61 children, mostly newborns and infants, dead in last 72 hours at Gorakhpur Hospital, State silent

The Adityanath government, which is already facing criticism for a total of 70 deaths of children at the hospital three weeks ago due to disruption of oxygen supply – a charge that it has steadfastly denied – has chosen to stay mum on the deaths reported over the past three days. Chief minister Adityanath and his health minister Sidharth Nath Singh, who are usually very vocal on social media platforms like Twitter, have not uttered a word on the latest tragedy, let alone offer any remedial measures. This, even as local doctors claimed that the death toll could rise further over the next few days.

Unofficially, hospital authorities have been telling media persons that the current spate of deaths has been caused due to encephalitis, health complexities in newborns, pneumonia, sepsis etc. According to a Hindustan Times report, the hospital has seen a substantial increase in patients suffering from encephalitis, water-borne  and vector-borne diseases over the past few weeks which has led to overcrowding.

A doctor at the encephalitis ward of the BRD hospital told local television news channels that the situation is set to get worse in coming days as eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Nepal – the key areas from which patients pour in at the facility – “are still receiving heavy rainfall and are reeling under the effects of floods which has a direct correlation with the spread of encephalitis.” Due to the overcrowding, the doctor said: “we have been forced to accommodate as many as four patients on a single bed in the paediatric ward and the condition at other wards is similar”.

According to hospital records, this year till Monday at least 1,250 patients have died in the encephalitis and neonatal wards.

A ground report of the appalling situation at the BRD hospital that was published in a leading national daily on Wednesday quoted Dr RN Singh, a paediatrician, who has worked extensively in UP on encephalitis cases, saying: “Insufficient homework was done to control the outspread of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome… measures like fogging to kill mosquitoes, de-silting of water bodies, vaccination and chlorination of water were not done in time.”

A recent central panel probe into the mortality situation at the BRD hospital had found a severe shortage of medical staff in the neonatal and paediatric wards along with major lapses in maintaining basic hygiene standards. The inquiry had also revealed that only three of the over 30 nurses in the facility were trained to handle newborns.

When the earlier deaths of children were reported from the hospital on August 10 and 11 due to disruption in oxygen supply that was caused after the hospital management failed to settle a bill of Rs 60 lakh made out by the oxygen supply agency, the Adityanath government had claimed that the children had died due to encephalitis and other medical reasons. While it rejected the widely accepted theory that lack of oxygen had led to the deaths, the government did increase the number of doctors and paramedical staff at the hospital. The Centre and state government had both ordered multiple probes while an FIR was registered against nine persons, including Dr Rajiv Mishra (then BRD hospital principal) and his wife Dr Purnima Shukla, Dr Kafeel Khan and Uday Pratap Sharma of Pushpa Sales, the agency that supplied oxygen to the hospital.

On Tuesday, Dr Mishra and his wife Dr Purnima Shukla were arrested by the UP Special Task force from Kanpur over the child deaths earlier this month. Earlier, on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, the UP STF and police had raided the house of Dr Kafeel Khan but claimed that he was not present at home.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Asish Banerjee found dead in Rampurhat, Mamata Banerjee aide’s death shocks TMC

Former West Bengal deputy speaker and five-time Rampurhat MLA Asish Banerjee was found dead at a Trinamool Congress office in Birbhum.

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4 hours ago

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August 16, 2026

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Mamata Banerjee

Former West Bengal Assembly deputy speaker and Trinamool Congress leader Asish Banerjee was found dead at a party office next to his residence in Rampurhat, Birbhum district, on Sunday morning.

Police said his body was found hanging and was sent for postmortem. A large crowd gathered outside the Trinamool Congress office after news of his death spread.

Who was Asish Banerjee?

Asish Banerjee had served as the deputy speaker of the West Bengal Assembly when Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was the state’s chief minister. He was also a five-time MLA from Rampurhat.

He had served as Bengal’s education and agriculture minister after Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress first came to power in the state.

Banerjee contested the West Bengal Assembly election earlier this year but lost the Rampurhat seat to BJP’s Dhruba Saha.

Asish Banerjee’s recent party role

Banerjee stepped down as chairman of the Trinamool Congress’s Birbhum district core committee in June. At the time, he said he would continue as a general member of the party.

He lived in the Hattalapara neighbourhood of Rampurhat, with the party office where his body was found located next to his house.

BJP gains in Birbhum

The BJP won six of the 11 Assembly constituencies in Birbhum in the latest state election. This marked a significant change from 2021, when the Trinamool Congress had won 10 seats in the district while the BJP had secured one.

Police have sent Asish Banerjee’s body for postmortem as the circumstances surrounding his death are being investigated.

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IPS Officer Nupur Prasad gets Medal for Meritorious Service after Sushant Singh Rajput probe

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service this year.

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1 day ago

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August 15, 2026

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IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been recognised with the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) this year.

A 2007-batch AGMUT cadre officer, Ms Prasad recently returned to the Delhi Police after completing her tenure with the CBI. She is currently serving as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), where she oversees investigations involving financial and economic crimes.

The award is part of this year’s recognition for police personnel for distinguished and meritorious service. Such honours recognise contributions in areas including investigation, crime prevention, public service, law and order and administration.

Nupur Prasad’s role in Sushant Singh Rajput case

Ms Prasad came into national focus during the CBI investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020.

The case was transferred to the CBI in August 2020 following a complaint by the actor’s family and a legal dispute over jurisdiction.

During her tenure with the agency, Ms Prasad supervised key aspects of the investigation, including the examination of witness statements, forensic evidence and medical records.

In 2025, the CBI filed closure reports, saying its investigation found no evidence of foul play, abetment to suicide or criminal conspiracy in the actor’s death.

Career across Delhi Police, CBI

Ms Prasad has served in several positions during her career, including assignments in the Delhi Police, CBI, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.

Before joining the CBI, she held senior positions in the Delhi Police and became the first Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Shahdara. During her tenure, she worked on establishing the district’s policing framework following its creation.

She also led operations targeting drug networks and illegal gambling activities while focusing on crime-prevention measures.

Later, as DCP of North Delhi, she oversaw security arrangements for major events, including Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort and Delhi University elections.

Community-focused policing initiatives

Beyond investigations, Ms Prasad has been associated with community-focused programmes involving women’s self-defence, youth development, cyber safety and drug de-addiction.

During her CBI tenure, she was also associated with several prominent investigations. Media reports have linked her to cases concerning businessman Vijay Mallya and the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

Current role in Delhi Police

After completing her assignment with the CBI, Ms Prasad returned to the Delhi Police and took charge as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing.

The latest recognition adds to her career spanning investigations, policing and public service across several challenging assignments.

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India News

Kharge, Rahul Gandhi skip Independence Day event for 2nd straight year

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Published

1 day ago

on

August 15, 2026

By

Rahul Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Independence Day celebrations at the historic venue on Saturday.

The absence of the two senior Congress leaders comes amid strained relations between the ruling party and the Opposition, which further deteriorated during the Monsoon Session of Parliament that concluded on Thursday.

2024 seating controversy

Rahul Gandhi had attended the Independence Day celebrations in 2024 but his seating arrangement triggered a controversy. The Congress leader, who holds the status of a Cabinet minister as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was seated in the second-last row during the ceremony at the Red Fort.

The Opposition had criticised the seating arrangement, calling it an insult to the people. The Defence Ministry, which organised the event, said the arrangement had been modified to accommodate Olympians at the venue.

According to protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is seated in the front row during ceremonial events.

Opposition-ruling party tensions

Relations between the government and the Opposition remained tense during the Monsoon Session, which ended on Thursday.

The session saw repeated clashes between the two sides, with both the Opposition and the ruling party blaming each other for the low productivity of Parliament.

The session began on July 20, with students marching towards Parliament on the first day. Twelve bills were passed during the session, while detailed discussion took place on only one legislation, concerning paper leaks.

The Congress, along with the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, also boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die.

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