HIV kid puts court glare on AIIMS

New Delhi (PTI): Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought personal appearance of the medical superintendent of AIIMS to explain why the hospital was not furnishing information on the blood transfusion of a 14-year-old boy, who reportedly contracted HIV.

Terming as “absurd” the AIIMS plea that the information was confidential, Justice Vikramjit Sen posted the matter for further hearing to May 11.

The boy who was nine years old when he was admitted to the hospital in July 2000 for treatment of cancer allegedly contracted HIV because of transfusion of contaminated blood.

A year later, his father filed a writ petition in the high court seeking Rs 25 lakh as compensation.

Although AIIMS has termed the charge as baseless, it was at the same time unwilling to divulge the identity of the donor whose blood was transfused to the victim, citing “doctor-patient confidentiality.”.

Sen said the hospital was apparently trying to protect someone.

21 die as bus falls off bridge

Rampur (PTI): Twenty-one people, including the son of Uttaranchal Congress president Harish Rawat, were killed when a Nainital-bound bus fell on the dry bed of the Kosi river near this Uttar Pradesh town on Wednesday.

The mishap occurred when the driver lost control of the bus and fell off a bridge, superintendent of police D.C. Mishra said. Twenty-six others were injured in the accident.

The passengers of the bus from Delhi were pulled out after breaking the windows. The driver and conductor were missing, Mishra said.

Additional superintendent of police Sadhna Goswami said the driver of the bus might have been dozing. Some passengers said he was speeding.

Cop beats cop

Farrukhabad (PTI): The police chief of this Uttar Pradesh district, Rahul Asthana, was allegedly assaulted by an inspector and other colleagues after a dispute over money on Tuesday.

He has been hospitalised, officials said. One inspector, two sub-inspectors and four constables have been suspended.

Pataudi notice

Jhajjar (PTI): A Jhajjar court has issued a notice to former Indian captain M.A.K. Pataudi and seven others accused in a black buck poaching case. The eight, who are currently on bail, have been asked to appear before the court on May 9.

Drug abuse count

New Delhi (PTI): An estimated 7.5 crore Indians are drug addicts and the number is going up significantly, spreading to semi-urban and backward areas, according to a study by the ministry of social justice and empowerment.

In a departure from tradition, the gates of the Badrinath shrine will open at 4 am, four hours before that of the Kedarnath temple on Thursday.