Two management staff of the AMRI Hospital Ltd. were arrested on Monday in connection with the fire that broke out in the hospital’s premises in Dhakuria. Over 90 people, mostly patients, had died in a fire that broke out at its premises on December 9.
According to officials in the city police department, AMRI, vice-president, administration, Ms. Pritha Banerjee and a staff member Mr. Sajid Hussain who were in charge of the hospital on the night of the fire, were arrested.
So far 11 people, including the two made today, have been arrested in this connection. The arrested include six directors of AMRI Hospitals, an executive director and two employees of the hospital’s Dhakuria unit. One of the arrested director is under arrest and currently admitted to a state-run hospital.
The two arrested, were have been remanded to police custody till January
30 and have been charged under sections 304 (culpable homicide, not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 34 (common intention) of IPC as also under West Bengal fire services Act.
Meanwhile, several families who had lost relatives in the AMRI Dhakuria fire met at the Nandan complex on Sunday morning (January 22) to raise safety awareness. Some family members have also reportedly declined to accept the compensation declared by the hospital authorities.
The common grouse by some of the families yesterday had been that while the directors and other officials have been arrested by the police, personnel against whom victim’s relatives have made complaints or alleged negligence are yet to be brought to the book.