LUCKNOW: A committee formed to probe the deaths of four special-needs children, who were inmates of a government-run shelter home here, recorded the statements of the facility's staff on Saturday as questions linger about its operations.
Officials from the district administration as well as the health and food safety departments visited the Nirvan Rajkiya Bal Grih in the Para area, where 147 children, primarily orphans and those with mental disabilities, reside. The team recorded the statements of the staff to determine any possible factors contributing to the children's deaths.
"The committee will look into every aspect of the shelter home's functioning that could have led to the sad incident, whether directly or indirectly," District Magistrate Vishak G told PTI on Saturday.
The probe was launched following the deaths of the four children, aged between 12 and 17 years, on Tuesday and Wednesday. Officials have also revealed that another girl from the shelter home died in a hospital last week with similar symptoms, prompting further scrutiny.
Meanwhile, 16 children from the facility, initially hospitalised for alleged food poisoning, remain at the Lok Bandhu Raj Narayan Combined Hospital three days after admission.
"We were intimated that the children in the hospital are stable and could be discharged on Saturday but they are yet to be discharged," Priti Mishra, the shelter home's in-charge, told PTI. She added that seven children, who are being monitored at the shelter home itself, are in a stable condition.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the children at the hospital on Friday. He interacted with the children and directed doctors to provide the best possible care to them. Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Brajesh Pathak also visited the hospital on Thursday.
More than 20 children with special needs fell ill after allegedly consuming contaminated water and were hospitalised on Tuesday evening. Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Roshan Jacob had suggested consumption of contaminated water as a potential cause for the children falling ill.
The DM had confirmed the four deaths and said post-mortem examinations were conducted and viscera samples preserved for further analysis.
The ongoing investigation aims at determining the precise cause of the children's deaths and assessing the shelter home's operational practices.