Hero UP doctor now accused of 'stealing oxygen' cylinders
As the death toll of children and babies rose at Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College, Dr Kafeel Khan was praised for his 'dauntless quick response to the disaster'.
But questions are now being raised after the findings of the initial investigation allege that Khan was 'stealing oxygen cylinders from the hospital for his private clinic'.
Khan, who was in charge of the encephalitis ward on the day of the disaster, is accused of successfully planting stories in the media that he stayed awake through the night (August 11-12) and even arranged for oxygen cylinders to be delivered at his own cost to save the kids.
Dr Kafeel Khan (right) was in charge of the encephalitis ward at BRD Medical College
However, things took a turn for the worst for Khan when the first report on the matter was submitted to the government.
According to the report and employees of the hospital, Khan was the head of the purchase department of the hospital and also runs his own nursing home.
The private nursing home run by Khan
A source in the local administration told Mail Today, 'It came to light that he stole cylinders (from the hospital) for his nursing home.
'However, on that night, when he realised that things were going out of hand, he immediately went to his nursing home and brought three cylinders in his vehicle'.
Khan's nursing home, Medispring Hospital and Research Centre, is located in a posh area and instructions on one of the pamphlets mention that he will be available from 9am to 9pm.
A father mourns the death of his child outside Baba Raghav Das Hospital in Gorakhpur amid allegations an upaid bill led to a disruption in oxygen supply
Relatives mourn the death of a child at Baba Raghav Das Hospital, where angry relatives have demanded answers
Though he is now underground (after being suspended following chief minister Yogi Adityanath's visit on August 13), he regularly interacted with the media (without authority) after 30 kids died.
Even during Yogi's visit to the hospital on August 9, he accompanied him everywhere and did not allow other staff to come near him.
Khan also has a criminal record. In 2009, he was arrested by Delhi Police along with a woman for impersonating for two medical aspirants in an entrance examination.
At that time, he was pursuing PG from Manipal University and was suspended for the offence.
During the Assembly polls, he openly supported Akhilesh Yadav and declared PM Modi a murderer on his Twitter account.
Though after his suspension, he deactivated all his social media accounts.
An Indian relative holds the body of a child while walking out of Baba Raghav Das Hospital in Gorakhpur, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh
In his defence
However, in the beleaguered doctor's defence, the Hindustan Times has reported on the fellow healthcare professionals at India's top hospital AIIMS have coming to Khan's side. One senior doctor has alleged that Dr Khan has been forced by the state government to carry the blame for the tragic incident.
'With great pain we have to say that once again a doctor has been made a scapegoat for the infrastructural lapse and failure of the government,' president of the resident doctors association at AIIMS, Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti, said in an open letter.
'If oxygen, gloves, surgical instruments and basic medicines are not available in the hospital, then who is responsible? According to the government, the doctor is responsible.
'I request politicians not to spoil this relationship between the patient and the doctor to hide their incompetency,' Bhatti argued.