DHAKA: A senior government official on Saturday confirmed 11 deaths of children in relief camps for victims of India’s Muzaffarnagar riots, even as chief medical officers were directed to provide adequate medical treatment to the victims.

District magistrate (Muzaffarnagar) Kaushal Raj Sharma confirmed that 11 children have died in relief camp here and said the administration is looking into reports of death of six more children.

‘To prevent any deaths in relief camps, medical checkup of all victims has been started and delivery facility for pregnant women have also provided in government hospitals,’ Sharma said, reports The Times of India.

‘No victim would be allowed to deliver in the camps to avoid any untowards incident. The authorities have also decided to provide cloths and blankets to the victims in relief camps,’ he said.

However, a relief camp organiser Gulshan Ahmed said a two-month-old baby girl died due to cold in relief camp at Malakpur village in Shamli district last evening.

With the Supreme Court taking note of media reports of deaths of children in relief camps, Uttar Pradesh government had Friday set up a high-level committee to look into the issue.

The committee has directed the chief medical officer to provide adequate medical treatment in relief camps and an ambulance has been provided to the relief camps.

A committee led by additional district magistrate, Nagmani Tripathi is inquiring into the remaining six deaths.

It is learnt that one relief camp is operational in Muzaffarnagar district while four in Shamli district.

BDST: 1932 HRS, DEC 14, 2013
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor