Yogi Adityanath considers encephalitis as main reason behind Gorakhpur tragedy

At least 60 children, including newborns, have died in the five days in a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur, due to alleged short supply of oxygen, media reports said.

At least 23 children died in the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College on Aug 10, the very day that the firm which used to provide oxygen to the facility stopped doing so owing to a payment dispute.

However, the UP CM considered encephalitis as the main reason behind the deaths.

Speaking about encephalitis, Adityanath said: "I was the first one to take steps against encephalitis in Gorakhpur only."

However, he did not completely dismiss the shortage of oxygen supply as one of the reasons behind the death.

The CM said people who will be found guilty must be punished. He even stated any death due to lack of oxygen supply is the worst incident that could have ever happened.

An inquiry has also been ordered by the UP Chief Minister on Saturday morning over the issue.

Chief Minister Adityanath also urged the media to report the number of deaths correctly.

"Varied figures are coming out in different newspapers and channels. I urge them to state the correct number. We all sympathise with those children who had died" the CM said.

Adityanath said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is worried at the whole situation of Gorakhpur. "The Prime Minister has said the India government will support Uttar Pradesh in every way to come out of the tragedy."

MoS Health Anupriya Patel will visit the hospital on Sunday.

According to reports, out of the 30 deaths, 17 have died in the neo-natal intensive care unit, eight in the paediatric ward and five in the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome ward.

This medical college is the largest hospital in UP's Gorakhpur district.

According to the district administration, supply of liquid oxygen had been disrupted due to delay in payments by the hospital.

Meanwhile, BRD Hospital principal has been suspended, reports said.