The death toll in Sum Hospital fire on October 17 rose to 25 today, following the death of a 77-year-old man, evan as police intensified its investigation by questioning the vice-chancellor of Skhshya O Anusandhan University that runs the hospital.
Pirath Singh of Jashipur in Mayurbhanj district succumbed to his injuries at the AMRI Hospital here today. The 77-year-old man was a cardiac patient.
While the police received the post-mortem report of 19 victims, it has to collect the autopsy report of others from private hospitals and the AIIMS, Bhubaneswar.
The 19 persons, whose post-mortem reports have been received, died of asphyxiation after the fire broke out at the dialysis unit of the hospital. So far, 106 patients were shifted to other hospitals.
When the hospital owner Manoj Ranjan Nayak was sent to jail after his two-day remand in police custody, the probe team today grilled the varsity vice-chancellor Amit Banerjee.
"I have replied to all their questions," Banerjee told reporters without disclosing details.
Meanwhile, a police team visited the office of the Director of Medical Education and Training to probe the renewal of the registration of Sum Hospital.
The police also discussed the matter with the fire service officers and enquired whether the hospital had met the fire safety norms.
The police said that they have summoned Saswati Das, wife of Nayak and his sister, both are trustees of the Sikshya O Anusandhan Charitable Trust that runs the varsity and the Sum Hospital.
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