Plea in NHRC for probe into UDH deaths

JAMMU: A social activist on Saturday sought a probe by the NHRC and the NCPCR into the death of nearly a dozen children allegedly due to the consumption of spurious medicines in Ramnagar town of Udhampur district.
Sukesh C Khajuria raised the demand in a petition addressed to the chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), a copy of which was also sent to the National Commission of Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
At least 11 children, aged between one and four years, died in different areas of Ramnagar Block of Udhampur district between December 2019 and January this year.
A team of experts, deployed by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, had visited the area in January to investigate the pediatric deaths and they had later confirmed the presence of a deadly compound in the ColdBest-PC syrup that the parents had bought from a local chemist to treat their children suffering from cough and cold.
"Most of the children who died belonged to poor, scheduled caste families and their parents have little comprehension of what has happened the deaths need to be probed to provide justice to the victims and their families, Khajuria said.
He alleged that a dozen innocent lives were snatched by the corrupt system which works particularly in the remote areas of the country.
"These spurious drug suppliers sell their products in connivance with local medical practitioners and chemists. It has been the complete failure of the governments, both central as well as State Government/ Union Territory that such a nexus is running with impunity, he said.
Khajuria sought adequate compensation for the aggrieved family members of the victims.
"Although, money cannot replace a human life but still can give some solace to the bereaved families who mostly are poor, he said.

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