Former minister and senior chairman of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chap. Ayyann a Patrudu has claimed that 30 people have died of oxygen starvation in Tirupati, but the state government is trying to pass this off as only 11 deaths.
In a video message here on Thursday, Mr. Ayyanna Patrudu alleged that a local girl who witnessed the incident was arrested by police on allegations that over 30 people died in the incident. Investigation teams from various political parties who went to the hospital were turned away. The TDP chairman called for an investigation by a seated high court judge, claiming that anyone who questioned the government’s actions had been classified as “Raja Drohis” and cases had been booked against them by the police.
According to official statistics, up to 9,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the state. He called on the government to take responsibility for the deaths that occurred “due to government negligence”. He also alleged that calls to 104 ambulances were not handled immediately and private ambulances were billed £ 10,000.
He claimed private ambulances were asking for £ 50,000 for moving bodies from Narsipatnam Hospital to the city’s crematorium. He also claimed that government doctors complained that COVID-19 materials such as PSA kits and other materials were not being delivered to them despite risking their lives to save patients.