Bhopal gas tragedy: Effects of leak seen in next generation of survivors, says ex-forensic doctor
Bhopal (PTI): The effects of poisonous gases that leaked from the Union Carbide factory in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal 40 years ago were seen in the next generations of those who survived the tragedy, a former government forensic doctor has said.
At least 3,787 people were killed, and more than five lakh were affected after a toxic gas leaked from the pesticide factory in the city on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984.
Speaking at an event held by organisations of gas tragedy survivors on Saturday, Dr D K Satpathy, former head of the forensics department of Bhopal's Gandhi Medical College, said he performed 875 post-mortems on the first day of the disaster and witnessed 18,000 autopsies the next five years.
Sathpathy claimed Union Carbide had denied questions about the effects of poisonous gases on unborn children of women survivors and said effects would not cross the placental barrier in the womb in any condition.
He said blood samples of pregnant women who died in the tragedy were examined, and it was found that 50 per cent of poisonous substances found in the mother were also found in the child in her womb.
Children born to surviving mothers had the poisonous substances in their system, and this affected the health of the next generation, Sathpathy claimed and questioned why research on this was stopped.
Such effects will continue for generations, he said.
Satpathy said it was said that MIC gas leaked from the Union Carbide plant, and when it came in contact with water, thousands of gases were formed, and some of these caused cancer, blood pressure and liver damage.
Rachna Dhingra of Bhopal Group for Information and Action said Satpathy, who carried out most autopsies, and other first responders in the 1984 disaster, including the senior doctors in the emergency ward and persons involved in mass burials, narrated their experiences during the event.
Rashida Bee, president of the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari Sangh, a poster exhibition covering every aspect of the disaster will be held till December 4 to mark the 40th anniversary of the tragedy.
An anniversary rally will be organised, with focus on global corporate crimes such as industrial pollution and climate change, she said.
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Murder case accused dies in police custody due to 'illness'
Bengaluru (PTI): A 45-year-old murder case accused allegedly died due to illness while in police custody, police said on Thursday.
The deceased was arrested by the Mahalakshmi Layout police on April 28 in connection with a conspiracy to rob money and gold ornaments from a woman living alone by causing a fatal accident.
“In this case, one accused was arrested and produced before the court for further investigation, and police custody was obtained. On May 2, at around 2:00 a.m., the accused complained of stomach pain. He was immediately admitted as an inpatient atVictoria Hospital.
On May 5, at around 9:20 a.m., the doctors at Victoria Hospital informed that the accused had died after failing to respond to treatment,” police said in a release.
The accused had a history of long-term illness, it said. “While he was in police custody, he became unwell due to stomach pain and was admitted to Victoria Hospital for treatment. He died after failing to respond to treatment.”
According to police, against this person, three cases were registered at Seshadripuram Police Station, one at Mahalakshmi Layout Police Station, one at High Grounds Police Station, and one at Rajagopal Nagar Police Station.
Earlier, a rowdy sheet had been opened against him at Seshadripuram Police Station.
