Gorakhpur hospital tragedy: Key developments in the story so far

After visiting Gorakhpur twice in 2017, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath visited his former parliamentary constituency for the third time on 9 August to gauge the impact of government schemes in various districts. As part of his itinerary, the chief minister visited the region’s largest hospital Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College. He inaugurated a 10-bed ICU, a six-bed Critical Care Unit facility at the hospital, which gets a large number of encephalitis patients. Thousands have died of encephalitis in Gorakhpur since the first case was discovered in the late 70s, but none had left the impact as it did on Friday when a shocking news of 30 children being dead in a span of 48 hours at BRD Medical College was reported. However, starting with the alleged non-payment of dues to the oxygen supplier by BRD medical college to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s press conference on Saturday evening, several key developments unfolded. Following is the timeline that explains how the entire news broke out and the key developments in the story so far: - Around 7:30 pm on 11 August, a report surfaced stating that-30 children die in 48 hours after oxygen supply disrupted -Gorakhpur district magistrate Rajeev Rautela confirmed the “death of 30 kids in the last two days” and seven deaths in the last 24 hours. -Employee of Pushpa Pvt Ltd- supplier of liquid oxygen to BRD college alleged of non-payment of dues worth over Rs 68 lakh - A magisterial probe was ordered and a detailed report was to be submitted - One 11-year-old suffering from encephalitis passes away on Saturday morning, taking death toll at Gorakhpur’s BRD Medical College to 63. - A report confirming 60 deaths over five days in the hospital released in the press. - Uttar Pradesh health minister Siddharth Nath Singh said Opposition parties should not politicise deaths - New oxygen cylinders were brought to the medical college - Kailash Satyarthi called Gorakhpur hospital tragedy ‘a massacre’ - Pushpa Sales office was raided by police - Yogi Adityanath has ordered a thorough probe: CM’s office - UP ministers hold meeting with BRD Medical College officials - Siddharth Nath Singh holds a press conference and said death of children did not take place due to shortage of gas - Narendra Modi’s office tweeted saying that PM is constantly monitoring situation in Gorakhpur - UP government suspended BRD Medical College principal - Siddharth Nath Singh admits oxygen supply was cut off for two hours - JP Nadda seeks report from Uttar Pradesh health department - BRD Medical College principal takes responsibility for the deaths - Narendra Modi speaks to Yogi Adityanath to take the stalk of the situation - Union Health Minister JP Nadda spoke to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and assured him of assistance from the Centre - State Minister of Technical and Medical Education Ashutosh Tandon says: A high-level committee headed by Chief Secretary Rajiv Kumar will investigate the Gorakhpur incident - Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath calls for a meeting of ministers Siddharth Nath Singh, Ashutosh Tandon and MoS Health Anupriya Patel over the Gorakhpur tragedy - Yogi Adityanath addressed a press conference; attempts to deflect culpability by blaming infants deaths on dirty surroundings and open defecation and said anyone found guilty will not be spared. - MoS Health Anupriya Patel and Siddharth Nath Singh meet to discuss the tragedy. Follow the liveblog here