KANPUR: The Centre today sought to delink the death of a 8-year-old injured boy with the security arrangements for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit and asked Uttar Pradesh government to hold a high-level probe into the incident and fix responsibilities for it.
The boy Aman's family had alleged that security blocades set up on the roads during the Prime Minister's visit on July 3 had prevented them from taking him to hospital in time to save him.
Putting the ball in the court of Uttar Pradesh government, Union minister Sriprakash Jaiswal told reporters here that Aman's death could not be linked to the Prime Minister's visit and it was the duty of the local authorities to ensure alternative routes to meet medical emergency of a person.
He said he will write a letter to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati demanding a probe into the incident by a high-powered committee so that officers responsible for it could be identified and strong action taken against them.
Jaiswal said if Aman was seriously injured, the local police administration should have ensured an alternative route to take him to a hospital or if this was not possible police should have transported the boy in their own vehicle.
Jaiswal said he had not been sent to Kanpur by Congress President Sonia Gandhi but came here as the local MP to console Aman's family and to give it strength to bear the loss by joining a candle march in memory of the boy.
He said whenever a person with SPG security cover comes to any city, local administration officials should identify some routes other than those used by VVIPs so that anyone needing emergency medical attention could be taken to hospital.
Jaiswal said henceforth the state government should ensure that an ailing or injured person can be taken to hospital without any hassle during a VVIP visit.
He said he would apprise Sonia Gandhi of the entire matter.
Asked if the Centre would give monetary compensation to Aman's family, Jaiswal said this was the job of the state government and he in his letter to Mayawati would recommend the same.
The boy's parents Usha Sharma and Tasdud Hussain had alleged they were stopped from taking Aman to hospital by security personnel who barricaded all major roads here for the Prime Minister's visit to Indian Institute of Technology on July 3 as part of security curbs. The boy had sustained serious head injuries after falling from a height at his home.
Aman's mother had written a letter to Sonia Gandhi to ensure that a similar tragedy does not befall anyone else in future.
