Yavatmal, Feb 1: In a case of gross negligence, 12 children were administered hand sanitiser drops instead of oral polio vaccine drops in a village in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra, an official said on Monday.

The affected children, aged below 5, were admitted to a government hospital, where their condition is stated to be stable, the district official said, adding three healthcare workers will face action for the lapse.

The incident occurred on Sunday at Bhanbora PHC (Primary Health Centre) in Kapsikopri village when the National Pulse Polio vaccination drive for children aged 1-5 years was underway, the official said.

Yavatmal Zilla Parishad CEO Shrikrishna Panchal said 12 children below 5 years of age were given two drops of sanitiser in place of polio drops.

Subsequently, one of the children complained of vomiting and uneasiness, he said.

All the children who were given sanitiser drops were administered polio drops and admitted to the Government Medical College in Yavatmal, Panchal said.

Their condition is stable and they are under observation, Panchal said.

He said as per preliminary information, three healthcare workers - a doctor, anganwadi sevika and an ASHA volunteer - were present at the PHC at the time of the incident.

"An inquiry is underway and orders will be issued to suspend all the three healthcare workers," Panchal said.

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New Delhi (PTI): The Bar Council of India on Wednesday sought the urgent intervention of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant following a "deeply disturbing" incident where a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court reportedly sent a young advocate to

24-hour judicial custody over a procedural lapse.

The Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairperson and senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, in a formal representation, termed the conduct of Justice Tarlada Rajasekhar Rao "grossly inappropriate" and "damaging to the confidence of the Bar".

“I most respectfully request your Lordship to kindly take immediate institutional cognizance of the matter and call for the video recording of the proceedings, the order passed, and the surrounding circumstances.

“I further request that appropriate administrative action may kindly be considered, including withdrawal of judicial work from the learned Judge pending review, his immediate transfer to some far off High Court, and his nomination for appropriate judicial training/orientation on court management, judicial temperament, Bar-Bench relations, and proportional exercise of contempt/judicial authority,” Mishra wrote.

This representation is made to preserve the “dignity, moral authority and public confidence of the judiciary”, he said, adding, “Judges command the highest respect not by fear, but by fairness, patience, restraint and constitutional humility”.

The communication urged the CJI to intervene at the earliest to ensure that the faith of Bar, particularly young advocates, in the protective and corrective role of the judiciary is restored.

The controversy stems from proceedings on May 5.

According to the BCI, a video circulating online shows Justice Rao rebuking a young advocate who was unable to produce a specific order copy during a hearing.

The letter said that despite the advocate "repeatedly seeking pardon and mercy" and claiming he was in physical pain, the judge remained "unmoved".

The judge allegedly told the lawyer, "now you will learn," and mocked his experience before directing the Registrar and police personnel to take him into custody for 24 hours.

The BCI chairperson said that the judge’s actions lacked proportionality and fairness.

"The dignity of the court is not enhanced when a lawyer is made to beg for grace in open court and is still sent to custody for a procedural lapse," the letter said.

"A young lawyer... is an officer of the Court, still learning, still growing, and entitled to correction without humiliation," it added.

The bar body said that such actions create a "chilling effect" on the legal fraternity, particularly among junior members, and undermine the mutual respect required between the Bench and the Bar.