Owner, doctor of children's hospital arrested after fire kills 7 newborns

The Indian Police on Sunday arrested the owner and a doctor of the New Born Baby Care Hospital after a massive fire broke out, resulting in the deaths of seven newborns.

The arrested doctor, named Naveen Khichi, and the owner, named Akash aged 25, was in charge of the shift during the incident.

Following the incident, a case was registered against the hospital owner under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Media reports suggested that the Indian police have added Section 308 (culpable homicide) and Section 304 (death by negligence) to the charges.

The fire broke out at the hospital in East Delhi’s Vivek Vihar late Saturday night. While twelve newborns were rescued, seven tragically did not survive. The remaining five babies are receiving treatment at another hospital. Delhi Fire Services (DFS) officials reported that the blaze began around 11:30 pm and quickly spread to two adjacent buildings, though there were no casualties or injuries in those structures.

The Prime Minister’s Office has announced compensation of Rs two lakh for the families of each of the seven victims and Rs 50,000 for the injured babies’ families. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on Twitter, stating, “The fire tragedy at a hospital in Delhi is heart-rending. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this incredibly difficult time. I pray that those injured recover at the earliest.”

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal described the fire as “heartbreaking” and assured that the causes of the incident are being investigated, promising that those responsible for the negligence will be held accountable.