11 die at government-run residential facility in India

Eleven people with special needs staying at a government-run residential facility in India's northwestern state of Rajasthan have died under mysterious circumstances, officials said Saturday.

Condition of three children admitted in a hospital at Jaipur, the capital city, was stated to be critical.

The deaths have taken place at the facility in Jamdoli, about 18 km from Jaipur, during the past 12 days.

Doctors suspected the deceased had consumed contaminated drinking water, which according to them was the reason behind the deaths.

The children according to doctors had complaints of diarrhoea, vomiting, and some of them had even slipped into shock.

"Around 15 children were brought here with septicemia, septic shock and the reason being very straight, the bacterial infection," said Ashok Gupta, superintendent of J K Loan Hospital, "Since the children were physically and mentally challenged they had a weak immune system."

Reports said the residential facility does not have a reverse osmosis purification system and residents were drinking water from a bore well.

The local government has ordered a three-member panel to probe the lapses in the residential facility.

Meanwhile, India's rights panel -- National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the Rajasthan government over the deaths.

Source: XINHUA