Tirupati: Death toll in SVRR Hospital snowballs into controversy
BJP leaders G Bhanuprakash Reddy and Samnchi Srinivas submitting a memorandum to RDO V Kanaka Narasa Reddy seeking judicial probe on Ruia hospital incident
Tirupati: The death toll in the tragic SVRR hospital incident snowballing into a major controversy with conflicting claims on the number of people, who died in the mishap, rocked the state.
The government declared that 11 people died due to disruption of oxygen supply in SVRR hospital on May 10 while the opposition parties dispute it and insist that the toll is much more triggering confusion. CPI national secretary K Narayana said that the government in order to cover up its failure downplaying the Ruia hospital death toll which he said was actually 23 but declared as only 11.
In a statement from his village near Nagari where he is staying, the copies of which were released to media here on Wednesday, the senior Communist leader releasing the details of 23 deceased, said with utmost responsibility and heavy heart I am releasing the list of 23 who died in Ruia hospital and dared the government to disprove it.
Accusing the government of bluffing on the death toll, he said there is no need to downplay the sad event.
A delegation of BJP leaders including party state spokespersons G Bhanu Prakash Reddy and Samanchi Srinivas submitted a representation to collector through RDO Tirupati demanding an enquiry by a sitting judge of High Court to probe into the death due to disruption of oxygen in SVRR ICU unit.
Speaking to media, Bhanu Praksh Reddy said a party leader MS Rama Rao who died in the mishap was not included in the list of deaths declared by the government for providing compensation of Rs 10 lakh though his name was found among 18 in the names in hospital record.
Only a high level probe could establish the number of persons who died due to disruption of oxygen in the Ruia Covid ward, he said, reiterated the demand for a probe into the incident.
CPM senior leader K Murali also demanded an enquiry on the deaths and affirmed that the number of dead in the mishap was much more that the government declared 11.
He also wanted the National Human Rights Commission and Supreme Court to take up the issue of deaths due to no oxygen supply in government hospitals in the state, keeping in view the recurrence of such deaths due to lack of oxygen.