Locals stage demonstration demanding enhanced compensation

Bhubaneswar: Agitated locals today staged a demonstration in front of the SUM hospital here during the visit of the Union Health Minister J P Nadda demanding a compensation of Rs 15 lakh to the families of those killed in the hospital blaze.

They were also demanding the arrest of the chairman of the trust that manages the medical facility and job to each of the affected families.

Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (SOA) University, which runs the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, had yesterday announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed.

The Odisha government has also announced a solatium of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those killed.

With the locals staging the demonstration demanding arrest of the "owner" of the privately-managed hospital, the Odisha government today indicated that the police might take action against him .

"We have filed FIR at the Khandagiri police station against the SUM Hospital authorities. As he (owner) is part of the management, the police may take action against him also," director of medical education and training (DMET) P C Mohapatra said.

Mohapatra said, "As we have filed a case against the management of the hospital, there is a chance of his arrest, as he is part of the management."

The DMET's statement is significant in view of the public resentment against the SUM Hospital management.

One more person died of suffocation today, taking the number of those killed in the fire at the hospital to 21.

Yesterday, on the basis of an FIR filed by the fire service department, the police had arrested four officials including the medical superintendent.

Besides the medical superintendent Pushparaj Samantasinghar, the police had booked electrical maintenance engineer Amulya Kumar Sahu, Fire Safety Officer Santosh Das and retired Junior Engineer Malay Kumar Sahu.

A case has been registered against the four officials under sections 304, 308, 285 and 34 of IPC.