Telangana rights panel seeks report on RIMS Adilabad fire that killed five infants

The Telangana Human Rights Commission (TGHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the deaths of five infants in a fire at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Adilabad. The fire occurred on Tuesday, September 21, 2026.

The Commission, chaired by Justice Shameem Akther, has directed the Principal Secretary of the State Medical and Health Department to submit a detailed report on the incident.

The TGHRC said it was acting on reports that raised concerns about maintenance and safety arrangements at the SNCU. These included the condition of air-conditioning and electrical installations, fire alarms, fire-fighting equipment and emergency evacuation arrangements.

The Commission stated that it needed to establish the facts and circumstances that led to the fire and the subsequent deaths of the infants, as well as examine the safety measures in place at the unit.

The report sought from the government must cover the circumstances leading to the fire, the safety and maintenance arrangements at the SNCU, the measures taken to rescue and treat the affected infants, and the findings of any inquiry conducted into the incident.