Bhubaneswar fire tragedy: Look Out Circular issued against hospital trustees

Bhubaneswar: With the demand for the arrest of the owner of the Sum Hospital gaining momentum, where 21 people died in a major fire, the Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack on Wednesday issued a 'Look Out Circular' against two senior members of Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust which runs the hospital.

Commisioner of Police YB Khurania told reporters that the Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against Manoj Nayak and Saswati Das, both trustees of the Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust.

The police also informed the local airport authorities about the LOC against the two persons. The police also apprised the Union Home Ministry of the action, he said.

The two cannot leave the city without prior permission of the police and they need to cooperate with the investigation, Khurania said.

The police issued the LOC hours after Union Health Minister J P Nadda asked the state government not to allow the persons responsible for the hospital fire  "go scot free".

The Union Minister also said it was the responsibility of the state government to bring back people's trust on the health system by taking action against the persons responsible for the incident.

Local people earlier in the day staged a demonstration in front of Sum Hospital demanding arrest of its "owner".

Nayak is the chairman of the Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust under which the Sikshya O Anusandhan University has been established. The Institute of Medical Sciences and Sum Hospital is affiliated to the Sikshya O Anusandhan University.