DEHRADUN, 31 JULY

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered an inquiry into the death of a one-and-a-half-year-old child in Bageshwar district, allegedly due to delayed medical treatment.

The child was allegedly referred from one medical facility to another several times before being admitted to a hospital in Haldwani, where he died after a few days of treatment.

In an X post, the chief minister said that a probe has been ordered into the incident.

"The news of the death of an innocent child due to negligence in treatment is very painful and unfortunate. Prima facie, it seems that the officers and employees have been negligent in discharging their duties," he said.

"Taking cognisance of this very sensitive matter, the Kumaon Commissioner has been ordered to investigate it immediately. If negligence or indifference is found at any level in this matter, then strict action will be taken against the culprits. No laxity will be tolerated in protecting the trust and life of the public," Dhami said.

A video, in which the child's father can be heard saying that his son was referred to several hospitals one after the other, has gone viral. The father alleged that an ambulance was also not provided to them on time to take the child to the hospital, which delayed his treatment and eventually led to his death.