Former Minister and Telugu Desam Party(TDP) senior leader Ch. Ayyann a Patrudu has alleged that 30 persons have died due to lack of oxygen in Tirupati but the State government is trying to pass it off as only 11 deaths.
In a video message here on Thursday, Mr. Ayyanna Patrudu alleged that a local girl, who was witness to the incident, was arrested by the police, as she had claimed that over 30 persons died in the incident. The fact-finding teams of various political parties, which went to the hospital, were turned away. Demanding an inquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court, the TDP leader alleged that anyone questioning the government actions were being labelled as ‘raja drohis’ and cases were booked against them by the police.
As many as 9,000 persons have died of COVID-19 in the State, according to official statistics. He demanded that the government own responsibility for the deaths as they had ‘occurred due to the negligence of the government’. He also alleged that calls being made to 104 ambulances were not being promptly attended to and private ambulances were charging ₹10,000.
He alleged that private ambulances were demanding ₹50,000 for shifting of bodies from the Narsipatnam hospital to the crematorium in the town. He also alleged that government doctors were complaining that COVID-19 materials like PPE kits and other materials were not being supplied to them though they were risking their lives in saving patients.
