BRD doctor returns home, feels respect not lost

LUCKNOW: It was the breath of fresh air outside Gorakhpur district jail, the faces of his family and of his fellow doctors and students from Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College, that Dr Satish Kumar took in for several moments on Friday evening, nine months after he was released from jail on bail.
The former head of the anaesthesiology unit at the hospital, Dr Kumar is one of the nine prime accused in the oxygen supply tragedy at the hospital last August that took away lives of at least 30 children admitted in the encephalitis ward.He got bail on May 15 by the Allahabad high court.
"My medical college colleagues and students were waiting right outside and were the first ones I saw. It only proved to me that my respect was not lost in the fraternity after the unfortunate incident. I always had faith in the judiciary and knew that I am innocent. The faces of my colleagues waiting outside the jail proved the same to me," Dr Kumar told TOI from Gorakhpur.
As he saw his wife, Anita Kumar and daughters Manjari and Pallavi and met his aged and ailing parents, Dr Kumar said he was out of words. "I hugged my wife and children and held my parents close. Even though I was sure of my innocence, it was a tough time for both me and my family," he said.
A crowd of people waited for Dr Kumar and a cake from his children saying "welcome home" greeted him. "The biggest allegation made against me was that I had gone on August 12, when the hospital was in chaos, without intimation. The truth is my leave was sanctioned on August 9 by the principal and my tickets had already been booked on July 3. I had to attend the convocation of my son at IIM-Mumbai. In my 30 years of government service, I know that leave has to be taken with prior notice," he said.