'Most children died in Muzaffarpur due to hypoglycemia'

Agencies
June 12, 2019

Patna/Muzaffarpur, Jun 12: Thirty children have died this month in two hospitals in Muzaffarpur, with most of them being victims of hypoglycemia and not Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) as being reported in the media, officials have said.

Thirty children have died till Tuesday that included seven at Kejriwal Hospital, Muzaffarpur, and 23 at Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital, a release issued by Muzaffarpur District Public Relations Officer Kamal Kumar Singh said on Tuesday.

Health Department's Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar told reporters in Patna, "A total of 26 children have died till yesterday, 80 per cent of them were the victims of hypoglycemia, a condition caused by very low level of blood sugar."

He, however, refused to give district wise break-up of the 26 children's death.

"A team led by the director in chief, Health Services has gone to Muzaffarpur to take stock of the situation prevailing there," Kumar said.

Considering the gravity of the situation, a seven-member team would be visiting Muzaffarpur to take stock of the situation and also study about the disease which is taking a heavy toll on the children, he said.

Participating at a function organised at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) premises to lay the foundation stone of a 500-bed building, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed sorrow over the children's deaths in Muzaffarpur.

"I am very pained with the children's deaths in Muzaffarpur. We are very hurt and pained. The Health Department has sent its team to Muzaffarpur which would take stock of the measures being taken to tackle the disease," the chief minister said.

The Health Department principal secretary said the disease has affected 222 blocks of 12 districts, especially Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, Sheohar and East Champaran.

Asked about the reasons behind the deaths, he said the reason could be that the children may be sleeping on an empty stomach coupled with constant high temperature, lack of water in the body and glucose level in the blood.

The department has ordered for distribution of ORS packets among the children so that they can take it before going to bed, he said, adding that it would maintain blood sugar level in the children.

The deaths have taken place especially in malnourished children and also in poor and impoverished families, he said.

Kumar asked people to take their children to their nearest Primary Health Centre (PHC) as all PHCs have been equipped with all the facilities.

The department has made seven paediatric ICU functional in the state to tackle the disease.

The seven functional paediatric ICU are - Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital, Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital, Muzaffarpur, Patna Medical College and Hospital, Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital, Gaya, Sadar Hospital, Motihari, Sadar Hospital, Hajipur and a referral hospital in Rajauli in Nawada district, he said.

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News Network
March 22,2024

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday produced Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal before the Rouse Avenue court and sought a 10-day custody in the excise policy-linked money laundering case. "Kejriwal was the kingpin of the scam," the ED reportedly told the court after the AAP chief was produced before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja around 2 pm amid tight security. 

ASG S V Raju was appearing for the agency, while Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi is representing Kejriwal. 

Raju in his argument said Kejriwal was "directly involved in formulation of the (liquor) policy... he was involved in handling of proceeds of crime as well in the Goa election campaign."

"The expert committee was constituted but it was a sham committee. The policy was made in such a manner that it would enable the taking of bribes and recoupment of people who gave the bribes," the ED counsel said. 

Kejriwal was produced in the trial court shortly after he withdrew from the Supreme Court his plea against arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the excise policy-linked money laundering case. Kejriwal's counsel said he would contest the remand proceedings before the trial court and then come back to the apex court with another petition.

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News Network
March 15,2024

BSY.jpg

Bengaluru, Mar 15: Former Karnataka chief minister and senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act on Thursday for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor at his residence in Bengaluru last month.

Yediyurappa, 81, was booked after a woman lodged a complaint saying that she visited his residence on February 2 seeking justice in a rape case against her daughter and sought that a special investigation team (SIT) be formed to look into the case.

According to the first information report (FIR), Yediyurappa allegedly took the minor to a room, closed the door and sexually assaulted her. The woman further alleged in the FIR that when she confronted Yediyurappa, he said that he was checking if the girl was raped or not. Yediyurappa later allegedly apologised and asked the woman not to reveal the matter to anyone.

The Sadashivanagar police in Bengaluru have registered a case under Section 8 (commit sexual assault) of the Pocso Act and Section 354 (a) (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Reacting to the allegations, the former CM said that around one-and-a-half months ago, they (the victim and her mother) had come to his house seeking help and he had taken them inside. 

“After listening to her, I called the city police commissioner B Dayananda over phone seeking to address her problem. Later, they spoke against me and I then suspected that there is some health problem with her. I sent them to city police commissioner’s office. I even gave her some money as they were in distress. I came to know that an FIR has been registered and will look into it. But this is what I get for helping someone,” he added.

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News Network
March 28,2024

New Delhi: After India summoned an American diplomat over their remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case, the US reiterated on Wednesday its call for "fair, transparent, timely legal processes".

We continue to follow these actions closely, including the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, said US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller while responding to questions on India summoning Gloria Berbena, the US Acting Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi.

The meeting at the foreign ministry's South Block office lasted nearly 40 minutes yesterday with India objecting strongly to the US remarks on the arrest of Mr Kejriwal.

Miller also responded to a question on the Congress party's frozen bank accounts, saying, "We are also aware of the Congress party's allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections."

He said the US encourages "fair, transparent and timely legal processes" for each of these issues.

"With respect to your first question, I'm not going to talk about any private diplomatic conversations, but of course, what we have said publicly is what I just said from here, that we encourage fair, transparent, timely legal processes. We don't think anyone should object to that," he said.

Mr Kejriwal was arrested last week by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the third Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader after Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh to be taken into custody in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam.

The US State Department on Tuesday said it is monitoring reports of Mr Kejriwal's arrest and called on New Delhi to ensure "a fair and timely legal process" for the jailed Chief Minister.

India objected to it and warned of "unhealthy precedents".

"States are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others, and this responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies. It could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents," the foreign ministry said.

"India's legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted," the ministry stressed.

The US remarks came days after Germany's Foreign Office stressed that Mr Kejriwal is entitled to a fair and impartial trial. The Indian government had reacted strongly and summoned the German envoy, labelling their remark "blatant interference in internal matters".

The excise policy was introduced to bring an overhaul to the liquor business in Delhi, but was scrapped after Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena ordered a probe into the alleged irregularities in the policy. The ED believes the bribe money from the policy was allegedly used for funding the AAP's election campaigns. It has also called Mr Kejriwal a "conspirator" in the case.

His arrest just ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election has also prompted furious protests from the opposition camp.

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