AC running in VIP cabin for three days in a row led to fire

Without ruling out the possibility of sabotage behind the fire of Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, Additional Director General of CID Rajesh Kumar said medical officials posted in the hospital were questioned to asses about the exact reason behind the fire.

Amol Gupta, an employee of the local municipality has been detained in the case.

The fire incident claimed three lives on Saturday. Two women including a relative of a patient and a child died while many others patients including children were hurt after the fire broke at an air-conditioning machine inside a VIP cabin on the first floor.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the state has reached the spot on Sunday after the government ordered the special inquiry.

The CID, however, is suspecting a conspiracy. The continuous use of air-condition machine for the 

past three days in the VIP cabin led to the fire there in the hospital.

The investigating agency smells a rat. A source in state secretariat Nabanna said that CID has suspected a possible sabotage in the incident.

“We have to see the power loading capacity of the VIP cabin. The continuous use of air-condition machine for the past three days in the VIP cabin may lead to the fire. The PWD electrical stuff was grilled,” the source added.

However, Kumar said a case has been registered. The principal of the medical college has lodged the complaint. They have interrogated medical staff.

The investigators called up all the officers who were on duty during and before the fire.

They have even interrogated the PWD and West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited officials.

Apart from the police inquiry, a high-level inquiry committee under the chairmanship of principal secretary of health and family welfare department is probing the case. The committee will consists of secretaries of other relevant departments and will look into the cause of the incident. It will suggest the corrective measure so that such incidents do not happen again and look into other secondary issues.

The chairperson of West Bengal Medical Service Corporation Chandrima Bhattacharya said it is conspiracy to tarnish the image of state government. It is also an effort to blemish the developmental works done by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Meanwhile a team of forensic experts also reached the spot to expedite the investigation. “We have inspected the whole thing. It is evident that there is a conspiracy here,” said Bharatlal Mina, DIG CID.

In another incident at Murshidabad Medical College, bodies of two boys were lying unattended in front of the mortuary on Saturday night. The relatives of the two boys were told to receive the bodies after the post-mortem, but no hospital staff attended those bodies inside the mortuary and no doctors were found doing the autopsy work.

The bodies were kept outside and the relatives spotted them on Sunday morning. Their bodies were in a terrible condition with their faces being eaten by ants. The relatives have complained about the incident to the local police station.