Death of Covid patients due to oxygen shortage equivalent to genocide: Court

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• May 5, 2021 | moderator

Lucknow: Making stern remarks against the authorities responsible for supplying oxygen to hospitals on time considering the present situation in the country, the Allahabad Court on Tuesday observed that the death of Covid-19 patients just for the non-supply of oxygen to hospitals is a criminal act and “not less than a genocide”.

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The High Court observed stories of hoarding of oxygen cylinders are being shared on social media

The remarks were made on some news items doing the rounds on social media regarding the death of COVID-19 patients due to lack of oxygen in Lucknow and Meerut districts. The court also ordered a probe into the incidents.

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A two judges-bench comprising justices Siddharth Verma and Justice Ajit Kumar passed the order on a Public Interest Litigation on the spread of COVID-19 in the state and the condition of quarantine centres.

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"We are at a pain in observing that death of Covid patients just for non-supplying of oxygen to the hospitals is a criminal act and not less than a genocide by those who have been entrusted the task to ensure continuous procurement and supply chain of the liquid medical oxygen," the court observed.

"How can we let our people die in this way when science is so advanced that even heart transplantation and brain surgery are taking place these days," it added.