Muzaffarpur: One more child died on Tuesday after being admitted to a hospital here for Acute Encephalitis Syndrome, even as officials insisted that the severity of the disease, which has afflicted more than 700 children across the state, has lessened. The death was reported in the early hours at S K Medical College and Hospital, which has accounted for 111 casualties, the maximum number in the state, since June 1.
The government-run hospital has so far registered 435 cases of AES since the beginning of the month, according to figures released by the district administration.
Meanwhile, FIR has been lodged against 39 persons in Vaishali for protesting against the state government’s negligence which led to the death of children in the district due to AES and brain fever.
“Children died due to the negligence of the state government and when people came out to protest they were beaten up and later FIR was also registered against them.
“People were angry at the state government’s inability to tackle rising cases of encephalitis,” a source from Hajipur said.
Sources, however, claim that the police registered an FIR against villagers who had held local LJP MLA Rajkumar Sao hostage for about an hour on Sunday when he visited the area to review the situation.
Reports suggest that around seven children have died in Harivanshpur area of the district since the outbreak of the disease. Sources claim that most people against whom FIR was registered have left the village.
