Moradabad District Magistrate Rakesh Kumar allegedly locked up a dozen media personnel in the emergency ward of the district hospital during Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath’s visit on Sunday, reported Times Now.
Some reports claimed the step was taken to prevent the journalists from asking the chief minister any questions about the quality of services at the hospital. But the reasons are not yet clear. Reports also said that police personnel were stationed outside the locked room. The media personnel were let out after Adityanath left the building.
After videos of the incident went viral on Twitter, Kumar responded that it was “not correct”. He claimed that there were media personnel inside the ward during inspection, and so he had asked them to not enter the ward with Adityanath.
“During inspection so many media persons inside the ward....requested media persons not to go inside the ward with Honble Cm [Adityanath] because it was not good for patients health,” Kumar said in response to a tweet shared by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi. “Only placed police personnel in corridor.”
Adityanath visited the district hospital in Moradabad for an inspection. He spoke with patients and their family members, reported ANI.
His visit came at a time neighbouring Bihar is undergoing a health crisis. At least 154 people, mostly children, have died in the Bihar this year due to encephalitis.
Keeping in view Adityanath’s visit, the traffic police diverted heavy vehicles during the day. From 6 am to 6.30 pm, the entry of heavy vehicles, including buses, was closed in the city, said Superintendent of Police (traffic) Satish Chandra.
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