Rs one lakh for information on accused in Swarna Palace fire: Vijayawada police

VIJAYAWADA: The Vijayawada City Police have announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh to anyone who provides information on the whereabouts of the absconding key persons wanted in connection with the fire at the Swarna Palace Covid Care Centre (CCC) here that killed 10 patients and left 18 others injured.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Vijayawada City Police Commissioner Bathini Srinivasulu said the management of Ramesh Hospitals, which was running the CCC, is not cooperating with the probe.

“Though they are in a profession that requires responsibility, it is unfortunate that they are behaving irresponsibly,” he stated, adding that the responsibility to render justice to the victims now lies with the police.

Pointing out that the accused and the suspects are not cooperating, Srinivasulu said special teams were formed to nab those who are absconding, and have gone to Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai to find them. “We are searching for people who hold top positions in Ramesh Hospitals,” he said.

“They are not even in a position to say what kind of MoU was signed between the hospital and hotel. The hotel does not have an NOC from the fire services department and the CCC was being operated even before permission was obtained,” he added, and said the hospital management didn’t follow GO 77, which was about Covid-19 management.

The PC further said that of the 31 patients lodged at the hotel when the mishap took place, 26 tested negative for Covid-19, and of the 10 who lost their lives, six later tested negative. He called upon the hospital management to surrender to the police.