AMRI board members in custody till December 20

KOLKATA: The Alipore Court on Saturday remanded all six arrested AMRI board members in police custody till December 20 in connection with Friday’s incident that killed 90 patients admitted in the hospital’s Dhakuria facility in south Kolkata.

Emami Group chairman RS Goenka, son Manish, and nephew Prashant, Shrachi Group chairman SK Todi, son Ravi and executive director DN Agarwal were arrested on Friday and booked under Sections 304 & 308 of the Indian Penal Code, respectively.

Counsel for state Kalyan Banerjee said: “There was reckless violation by hospital authorities. The tragedy could have been avoided had the private hospital heeded warning about its safety norms. The smoke alarm and fire detector were off. The exits were all locked and the stairs crowded with materials that impeded movement.”