The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a high level probe into the reported deaths of around 121 people due to heat stroke in Ballia district in the past eight days.

However, the Chief Medical Superintendent( CMS) of the district hospital has been shunted out and transferred to Azamgarh, who had informed the media about such large number of deaths.

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Officials here said two director level health department officers have been rushed to Ballia to investigate the whole matter and report to the government.

Ballia District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar along with CMO Dr Jayant Kumar issued a statement on Sunday morning by outrightly denying such large number of deaths due to heat stroke. They said that the team of experts from Lucknow will reveal the secret of the deaths in the hospital.

Meanwhile reports from Ballia said five to six patients are being admitted to the emergency every hour amid the scorching heat in the district. Patients with symptoms like diarrhoea, vomiting etc were coming to the emergency.

About six deaths have been reported since Saturday night. Although the figures have not yet been released from the hospital. It is suspected that the deaths have occurred due to heat stroke. The real cause of death will be revealed only from the post mortem report.

Officials claimed that to control the situation, leave of doctors and health workers has been cancelled. Apart from CHC PHC, health workers have become active in rural areas.

In view of the rush of patients in emergency, the number of additional beds was increased. On the instructions of the district administration, the district hospital administration has opened a 15-bed special ward.

Most of the patients coming to the district hospital for admission are above 60 years of age. Patients coming to emergency have more problems of high fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, breathing and heart attack, doctors attending them said.

The then Chief Medical Superintendent of the District Hospital, Dr Diwakar Singh had on Saturday disclosed about large number of deaths due to heat stroke.

Now he has been shunted out and has been made made Joint Director Azamgarh division. Dr AK Yadav, Surgeon of the District Hospital, has been entrusted with the responsibility of chief medical superintendent in charge.

After taking charge, Dr Yadav held an emergency meeting of EMO and Physician doctors on Saturday night to deal with the situation.

As per the reports, highest 31 people died on June15, 21 on June 16, 18 on June 14, 15 on June 17, 17 on June 13 , 7 each on June 10 and 12 and 5 on June 11.