Delhi fire tragedy: Hospital had been in row earlier over nurse's abusive behaviour

Pic/PTI

The Delhi hospital, where seven children were killed after a massive fire broke out late on Saturday, had faced allegations of abuse to a newborn child in the past.

Care New Born and Child Hospital owner, Dr Naveen Kichi, was arrested on Sunday, had moved the Delhi High Court seeking the quashing of an FIR registered against him in 2021 over the allegation that a hospital nurse had beaten a newborn infant.

In that case, he had contended that the allegations in the FIR as well as the CCTV footage only showed allegations against the nurse and he had nothing to do with the allegations in the FIR.

Later, he chose to withdraw his plea since the police charge sheet did not name him as an accused or as a witness.

Dr Kichi, a resident of Bhairon Enclave, Paschim Vihar, was granted anticipatory bail by the high court in the case in December 2021.

Meanwhile, a police probe into the incident has revealed that the licence issued to the hospital by the state government had expired on March 31 and doctors holding BAMS degrees were handling Neonatal Intensive care.

According to police, the fire at the hospital was reported to the Vivek Vihar police station around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, following which a police team rushed to the spot. As per Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Surendra Chaudhary, all the 12 newborn babies were rescued from the hospital with the help of other people and shifted to East Delhi Advance NICU Hospital.

Delhi Fire Service chief Atul Garg said that seven children were declared dead at the hospital while five other babies are undergoing treatment.

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