Gorakhpur deaths: accused doc charges Yogi of 'lying'

An accused in the Gorakhpur Medical College deaths case on Monday accused Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of ''lying'' on the issue for ''political gains''.

A few months ago, several children admitted at Gorakhpur Medical College died due to the lack of oxygen cylinders.

Adityanath recently attributed the deaths to the ''internal politics'' of the doctors at the medical college and denied that lack of oxygen was behind the deaths.

Reacting to the statement, one of the accused, Dr Kafeel Khan, said: ''It is a lie....the state government has admitted in the court that shortage of oxygen had led to the death of children...the government has also admitted that shortage of oxygen had been caused owing to delay in payment of the bills of the company that supplied the gas,''

Dr Khan was in charge of the neo-natal ward at the medical college, where the maximum number of deaths were reported.

He also contested the claim of the chief minister that there had been a decline in the death of children from encephalitis. ''The chief minister is lying for political gains,'' Dr Khan, who is out on bail, said.

Adityanath had said at a function in Lucknow a few days ago that the Gorakhpur incident had been blown out of proportion owing to the ''internal politics'' of the doctors. He had also claimed that there was no shortage of oxygen at the hospital.

Around 60 children, including many newborns, died within a period of four days at the medical college hospital last year in Gorakhpur, Adityanath's hometown.