Kafeel Khan

Kafeel Khan is a suspended lecturer at the Department of Paediatrics, Baba Raghav Das Medical College (BRD Medical Colleage), Gorakhpur. Khan did his MBBS and an MD (Paediatrics) from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka. He joined BRD Medical College and Hospital in 2016 as a permanent commissioned employee. He served as the nodal officer of the Encephalitis ward there until August 2017, when he was suspended after a large number of deaths occurred in the ward.^[1]

BRD Medical College death cases

Khan was in charge of the encephalitis ward when a number of deaths in his and other wards of the hospital drew widespread media attention in August, 2017. It later emerged that a large number of deaths occurred after the hospital's oxygen supply was cut on 10 August, which Khan was on leave, over non-payment of dues. Khan was hailed as a hero after media outlets reported that he had spent his money to buy oxygen cylinders after the piped supply had been cut, and worked overtime to remedy the situation.^[2][3]

The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government denied that any deaths had occurred due to oxygen shortage.^[4] On 13 August 2017, he was removed as the nodal officer in charge of the encephalitis ward on charges of dereliction of duty and carrying out private practice^[5] An FIR was registered against him and others after a written complaint by DG Health, KK Gupta, under IPC sections 409, 308, 120B, 420, Prevention of Corruption Act, Section 8 of the IPC, Section 15 of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. On 2 September, Khan was arrested after a court had issued a non-bailable warrant.^[6] The resident doctors association of AIIMS condemned his arrest and said he was being made a scapegoat.^[7]

While in prison, Khan wrote a 10-page letter, detailing his version of what transpired when the deaths at BRD Hospital occurred due to the oxygen supply being cut. He claimed that he called the head of department, the principal and acting principal of BRD, the district magistrate of Gorakhpur, the chief medical superintendent of Gorakhpur and BRD Medical College, and his other colleagues to inform them of the situation. He said that he also called local oxygen supplier agencies and begged them to immediately arrange for oxygen cylinders at BRD, and called nearby hospitals. He narrated that he went out to buy oxygen cylinders himself. He was able to scrape 250 cylinders together, paying for them himself and promising the suppliers that he would arrange for the rest of the payment soon. He carried some in his car and arranged with the Deputy Inspector General of Police for a truck and manpower from the Armed Border Force to deliver the others. He wrote that his family had been harassed by the police. He also wrote that in an encounter with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the latter had expressed anger at him.^[8]

While in prison, Khan's wife alleged that he was denied medical care in prison. Two days later the allegation, on 19 April 2018, the police took him for a medical examination, which had been due a week earlier.^[9]

In April 2018, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) released a statement in defence of Khan, saying that he had been framed. The secretary of the IMA blamed the state government officials and demanded a high level probe.^[10] Over 200 health professionals and allied activists wrote a letter to Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, demanding justice for Khan, his immediate release and the dropping of “false charges” against him.^[11]

On 19 April, while responding to an RTI query, the BRD administration admitted that it was facing shortage of oxygen cylinders on the night of 11 August 2018. It said that around six cylinders were bought from other hospitals and the then nodal officer Khan had arranged four oxygen cylinders on his own.^[12]

On 25 April, Khan was released on bail after 7 months of imprisonment. The court ruled that there was no evidence of medical negligence on his part.^[13][14] Khan insisted on calling the incident a massacre and blames the UP administration for it.^[12]

On 10 June 2018, Khan's brother, Kashif Jameel was shot by unidentified assailants who were on motorbikes. He received three bullet wounds on his right upper arm, neck and chin, but survived the attack. The incident took place in the Humayunpur North area near JP Hospital, 500 metres from the Gorakhnath Temple, where the UP Chief Minister was staying.^[15] In the aftermath of the incident, Khan said he had apprehended a murder attempt on his family members. He alleged that the police caused a delay of a few hours in his brother receiving urgent medical care.^[16] He further accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Bansgaon, Kamlesh Paswan and his three associates of carrying out the attacks.^[17]

In July 2018, it was reported that Khan had gone bankrupt.^[18] Khan said that people had stopped doing business with his brothers because they were afraid of angering Adityanath.^[19]

On 13 August 2018, Khan received a death threat on his mobile, on the same day that student leader, Umar Khalid, was shot at before an event Khan was also attending.^[20]

Publication

Khan has written the Manipal Manual of Clinical Paediatrics for MBBS Students. He also has a published paper on preterm babies.^[1]

Family

Khan's wife is a doctor who runs a private clinic. He also has a young daughter.^[21]

References