Download
Death of COVID-19 patients due to oxygen shortage 'not less than genocide,' says Indian court
CGTN
A man works inside the Oxygen plant for the newly-built hall for COVID-19 patients at NESCO, Goregaon, on May 3, 2021 in Mumbai, India. /CFP

A man works inside the Oxygen plant for the newly-built hall for COVID-19 patients at NESCO, Goregaon, on May 3, 2021 in Mumbai, India. /CFP

Death of COVID-19 patients due to non-supply of oxygen to hospitals is a criminal act and nothing less than genocide by authorities responsible for procurement and supply, the Allahabad High Court said on Tuesday.

"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 said.

A two-justice bench of the court, which has jurisdiction over India's most populous Uttar Pradesh state, made the remark during a hearing related to the COVID-19 crisis in the state after patients in two districts had died due to lack of oxygen.

The district magistrates are directed to inquire about the deaths within 48 hours and submit reports on the next hearing on May 7, according to local media.

Search Trends