Gorakhpur deaths: Doctor who was hailed as ‘hero’ removed from BRD hospital post
Dr Kafeel Khan, who reportedly saved many encephalitis-affected children, was sacked on charges of dereliction of duty and has been accused of fabricating stories.
Dr Kafeel Khan, nodal officer and in charge of the encephalitis ward of the BRD Medical College, was removed from the post on charges of dereliction of duty and carrying out private practice on Sunday.
A child is being shifted to another ward at Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur district on Sunday. (PTI Photo)
Khan runs a 50-bed hospital for children, Medispring Hospital and Research Centre in Gorakhpur, under the ownership of his wife Dr Shabista Khan, a dentist.
Khan, a paediatrician, and a former principal of the medical college, Dr RK Mishra, were responsible for ensuring a steady supply of oxygen cylinders in the medical college, hospital sources said.
Mishra was suspended on Saturday after which he resigned.
Khan was also a member of the purchase committee of the medical college and had complete information about pending dues of Pushpa Sales, the Lucknow-based company that supplies oxygen cylinders to the medical college, the sources said.
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Non-payment of dues resulted in stopping of oxygen supply to the hospital.
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Non-payment of dues resulted in stopping of oxygen supply to the hospital.
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After initial investigation, Mishra and Khan were found to be largely responsible for the shortage of oxygen gas cylinders in the hospital where over 60 children died in the last six days.
On Saturday, Khan was photographed on the medical college campus with relatives of the deceased children in a solemn mood.
Pawan Dixit, Assistant Editor, brings over 20 years of frontline reporting experience to the newsroom. A specialist on Uttar Pradesh politics and governance, he has reported from the ground across the state’s most consequential stories. He cut his teeth in eastern UP, spending 15 years covering the region. Based in Varanasi, he reported the 2012 UP Assembly polls and the 2014 Lok Sabha elections that reshaped the state’s political map. Moving to Lucknow in 2016, he has since led coverage of the 2017 and 2022 UP Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. His reporting tracks the BJP’s strategy, opposition moves, and voter sentiment across all 75 districts. Pawan has been a constant presence in Ayodhya since 2016. He reported the entire arc of the Ram Mandir movement — from the legal fight to the Supreme Court verdict, through temple construction, to the inauguration. He continues to track every development at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. On the state beat, he covers the BJP, the Industrial Development Department, and handles key outstation political assignments. He also reports major cases from the district court, Lucknow bench of the High Court, and the State Information Commission. Along with this, he also reports on NGT's important decisions related to UP. Known for sharp sourcing and clear analysis, Pawan connects politics, policy, infrastructure and faith — the forces driving UP today. He has reported developments in Ayodhya and Ram Mandir movement since 2016. The Supreme Court's Ram Mandir verdict, temple construction and the its opening have been reported by him.
He reports all developments in Ayodhya and Ram Mandir Trust.
He covers state BJP, Industrial development department, outstation political assignments, reports special cases from district court, high court and state information commission
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