Over 300 activists, students and ordinary citizens of Ahmedabad had expressed solidarity with families of victims of the Shrey Hospital fire, where eight people had been killed when a fire broke out in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital on August 6, 2020.
In a statement of solidarity, the signatories some of whom are also friends and neighbours of victims, say, “While the fire broke out reportedly due to a electrical short circuit, the inadequacy and non-adherence to standard fire safety mechanisms in the hospital, and the lack of evidence for any standard procedure of rescue having been initiated strengthens the suspicion that the hospital may have been criminally liable for the deaths of the unfortunate victims.”
They further say, “For a fire of this nature, which took the lives of 8 helpless patients, which is likely to have occurred due to wilful negligence of fire safety rules and procedures, the charges should have been far more stringent.” They add, “We feel that section 304 of the CrPC should have been invoked, and the failure of the police not to have done so raise(s) serious questions regarding their intent to do a free and fair investigation. There seems to be a conspiracy to get the hospital management off the hook.”
They demand, “In these circumstances we join and support the families of the victims in their demand for a transfer of the investigation of this case to the CBI.”
The entire statement may be read here:
Related:
Shrey Hospital Fire: The curious case of the missing phones
Shrey Hospital case: Victims’ families demand CBI inquiry