Gorakhpur tragedy continues: 42 children die in 48 hours at BRD medical college

Agencies
August 30, 2017

Aug 30: Two weeks after the Gorakhpur tragedy that stunned the nation, another 42 children died in the last 48 hours at the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College.

“42 children died in 48 hours of which 7 due to encephalitis, rest due to other reasons,” said PK Singh, the principal of BRD Medical College

Over 290 children have died at the hospital from August 1 till August 28, including at least 77 from Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).

Among 36 deaths reported on August 27 and 28, seven children died of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), 15 in Neo-Natal Ward NICU and 14 children died of different medical reasons, claimed a senior doctor at the hospital seeking anonymity.

According to hospital sources, nearly 1,250 children have died since January 2017, including 175 due to AES.

Following widespread outrage over the death of children, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government suspended BRD principal Dr Rajiv Mishra.

Mishra and his wife were arrested by the Special Task Force in Kanpur on Tuesday.

Dr Kafeel Khan, who shot to limelight for saving many kids, was also sacked from his position of as the head of the encephalitis ward.

Source told the DNA, while the state goes on a sacking spree, no arrangements have been made for the replacements.

It is interesting to note that Gorakhpur and surrounding areas have been badly affected by the encephalitis infection for more than a decade.

Despite many efforts, the locals have not been able to realise the extent of the situation. A doctor on condition of anonymity told the DNA, “How will we treat these infants when they reach hospital at the last stage.”

He also said that, “the toll, if compared from the previous year, is less. Media is unnecessary making a hue and cry.”

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Abdullah
 - 
Wednesday, 30 Aug 2017

Arrest the Murderers Yogi, Modi, Amit shah......

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News Network
January 23,2026

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The Voice of Hind Rajab, inspired by the tragic final moments of a young Palestinian girl killed by Israeli fire in Gaza, has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best International Feature Film category.

Directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, the film recounts the true story of five-year-old Hind Rajab, who lost her life in January 2024 while fleeing Israeli bombardment with her family.

The film features the real audio of Hind’s desperate call to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, where she pleaded for help moments before the vehicle she was in was struck by 355 bullets.

The haunting narrative begins with a brief call made from the besieged Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza, where gunfire and armored vehicles drowned out every sound.

After witnessing the brutal killing of her family, she made a trembling call, her voice reduced to a whisper as she spoke of the massacre and her unbearable loneliness as the sole survivor.

Premiering at the Venice International Film Festival in September 2025, The Voice of Hind Rajab garnered widespread acclaim, receiving a record-setting 23-minute standing ovation and the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize, the festival’s second-highest honor.

In her acceptance speech, Ben Hania dedicated the film to humanitarian workers and first responders in Gaza, emphasizing that Hind's voice symbolizes countless civilians affected by war.

She aims to give voice to victims often reduced to mere statistics, highlighting the broader suffering of civilians in war zones.

The film’s Oscar nomination underscores its powerful storytelling and ethical approach to depicting real-life tragedy, making it a crucial piece of contemporary cinema.

It serves not only as a narration of individual tragedy but also as an artistic and documentary response to the silence and censorship that often overshadow West Asian struggles and wars.

Using an innovative method she calls docufiction, Ben Hania bridges unvarnished reality and narrative structure, creating a work that is both artistically valuable and socially impactful.

Born in 1977 in Sidi Bouzid—later the epicenter of the Arab revolution—her background profoundly influenced her worldview and artistic approach.

She is a graduate of the Higher School of Audiovisual Arts of Tunis, Pantheon-Sorbonne University, and La Fémis in Paris, where her studies equipped her with the technical and theoretical tools needed to address complex subjects. 

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