NASHIK: Nashik police have filed a case against unknown persons under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC over allegations of gross negligence. Twenty-two people died in an oxygen leak at the Municipal Corporation’s Zakir Hussain Hospital on Wednesday afternoon.
Unidentified persons have been charged with culpable homicide for causing the gas leak and showing negligence. Sajan Sonawane, Senior Police Inspector of Bhadrakali police station, has lodged a complaint, and Commissioner of Police Deepak Pandey has ordered to file a case.
The investigation into the crime will be carried out by Assistant Commissioner of Police Pradip Jadhav. A case has been registered under Section 304A of the Indian Penal Code based on a press release issued by Municipal Commissioner Kailas Jadhav and a preliminary report from Bhadrakali police station, stated CP Deepak Pandey.
Two more patients die
In the meanwhile, two more patients died in the evening as their condition was critical, and their health was severely affected by the disrupted supply. As per the reports, a valve malfunction created chaos and costed the lives of 22 people. The victims’ families have come forth speaking about how better healthcare facilities could have saved their relatives.
The disruption of medical oxygen supply was caused by leakage from a storage plant, officials said. An official said the incident occurred when oxygen was being filled in one of the tanks from a tanker, which disturbed the supply to the patients who were on ventilators as well as to those dependent on oxygen for breathing. While the NMC maintained that the number of victims was 22, District Collector Suraj Mandhare said two others died in the evening. The deceased were in the age group of 33 to 74 years, the civic body said.
