Barabanki (Uttar Pradesh), Apr 27 (IANS): The owners of Awadh Children Hospital, Barabanki, have been booked for the death of infant twins, who allegedly died after being refused admission due to alleged oxygen shortage.

The accused, Syed Mohammed Saqib and Syed Mohammad Amir have been booked under the Epidemic Act and are likely to be arrested, said police.

The FIR was lodged after a probe team comprising chief medical officer (CMO) Barabanki, Dr R N Verma and SHO Pankaj Singh blew the lid off the hospital's claims and found the babies had not been brought to the hospital, but died at a neighbouring clinic.

Also, there was surplus oxygen in the children's facility on April 24 -- when the hospital claimed it ran out of the lifesaving gas, triggering the deaths.

SP, Barabanki, Yamuna Prasad, said, the district administration took swift cognizance of reports in TV channels about two babies gasping to death at Awadh Children Hospital and a probe team was constituted.

During investigation, hospital owner's elder brother, Syed Mohammed Amir and on-duty doctor Dr Shadab Rasool told police that the babies were admitted at 7.15 a.m. on Monday but died within hours due to lack of oxygen.

"A similar statement was also issued by the hospital owner on TV channels," said the SP.

However, the probe revealed that between April 21 and April 24, the hospital received 13 jumbo oxygen cylinders and had sufficient stock.

Misleading statements by the hospital owner triggered panic among patients in Barabanki, said the police officer.

The police team also searched the hospital premises and spoke to the infants' parents, Ethesham and Mantasha.

It may be recalled that the state government, on Monday, had denied reports of the babies dying due to oxygen shortage and had blamed the media for the 'mischievous' report.