Gorakhpur accused doctor Kafeel Khan says can't link attack on brother to his issues with UP govt

Gorakhpur: A day after the brother of Dr Kafeel Khan, involved in controversy over the death of children at a Gorakhpur hospital, was shot at , the doctor denied that his discord with the state administration could be behind the attack. Dr Khan’s brother, Kashif Jameel, 34, was shot at thrice on Sunday night in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s home constituency. He underwent a successful operation wherein the bullets were removed. Currently, he’s in the ICU. [caption id=“attachment_4504869” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Dr Kafeel Khan. Twitter@drkafeelkhan[/caption] Before filing the First Information Report (FIR), Dr Khan told Firstpost that personal enmity might be responsible for the attack. He informed that his brother is a property dealer and land-related disputes are common in his line of work. Nevertheless, he said it was evident that the attackers wanted to kill his brother as he was shot at from a close range. Noting that the attack took place in a high-security zone, he questioned the status of law and order in the state. He pointed out that the chief minister was barely half a kilometre away from the spot where his brother was shot at and lamented the audacity of criminals to strike at will. Superintendent of Police (SP) city Vinay Singh said Dr Khan and his family have given a written complaint and an FIR is being registered. He said that on the face of it, it looks like a case of personal enmity but it’s too soon to say anything. He informed that Dr Khan’s brother has no criminal record. He said only an investigation, which has been ordered, can establish the real cause. He added that the police are trying to obtain CCTV footage of the crime scene. Also, the SP rubbished Dr Khan’s allegation that the police ended up delaying his brother’s treatment after he was shot at owing to their medico-legal requirements. In a video he shared on Twitter, Dr Khan alleged that the police’s medico-legal proceedings took their own sweet time, which could have cost his brother his life. To this, the SP said the police follow a standard operating procedure and that there is no truth to Dr Khan’s charges. A copy of Kashif Jameel’s X-Ray and medical report. Source: 101Reporters Dr Khan and controversy Dr Khan, in charge of the paediatrics wing of BRD Medical College and Hospital, Gorakhpur, until last year, was suspended and arrested on the charges of negligence when more than 60 children suffering from encephalitis died there. It was alleged that shortage of oxygen cylinders was responsible for the deaths, a charge the state government denied. Dr Khan’s family has maintained that he’s being made a scapegoat to cover up the administration’s negligence. He was released on bail in April-end after spending eight months behind the bar. He’s still vying to get his suspension revoked. While Dr Khan believes that this tumultuous equation with the government has perhaps nothing to do with the attempt on his brother’s life, he did concede that his family is living under fear. He said they have requested the government to provide security, but to no avail. “I feel scared in stepping out of the home. Everyone in the family is living under fear but we will fight for justice and no one can stop me,” he said. He recalled that while his entire family supported him when he was behind bars, it was his brother who ran from pillar to post to ensure he got a bail. He said he is pained that his brother is now in the ICU. He said his entire family is in deep trauma. “I do not know what wrong we have done but we have suffered a lot in the last one year,” he said. The author is a Lucknow-based freelance writer and a member of  101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.