The Uttar Pradesh (U.P.,) police lodged a first information report (FIR) against a Lucknow hospital. The FIR says, “The District Magistrate had strictly directed that considering the pandemic, no rumours should be spread to create panic among people. But in Gomti Nagar’s Sun Hospital, on 3 May, a notice was posted on social media saying that COVID patients admitted in the hospital should be shifted because of shortage of oxygen. This created fear and panic among the patients’ families (sic.)”
According to sources, Sun Hospital of Lucknow put a notice regarding shortage of oxygen. The notice read, “After repeated requests to the UPCM/Central Government, we are not able to get enough oxygen supply. Hence we request the family members of those patients who are on oxygen support to take their patients to a higher centre for further management. We are extremely sorry for the inconvenience,”
Acting upon the published notice, the Vibhuti Khand police registered a case against Akhilesh Pandey, the Director of the Sun Hospital.
Addressing the media on the 6th of May, the U.P., police said the Director of Sun Hospital Akhilesh Pandey is spreading rumours regarding shortage of oxygen and have intentions of black marketing.
The Police also sent a notice to the hospital accusing it of breaching the protocols of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19.) The notice mentioned the facts, violation of COVID-19 protocols. The notice also mentioned the availability of oxygen at the hospital. The notice read, ” After investigation we found that the hospital at that time not only had 8 jumbo oxygen cylinders, but also 2 B type oxygen cylinders, and a concentrator.”
According to this notice, the investigation reportedly found that there were 25 COVID-19 patients in the hospital out of whom 20 were on oxygen support, and “enough oxygen was available for them.”
According to the police, the notice of oxygen shortage was malicious and was factually incorrect. The police said there were 25 patients during the investigation, but hospital authorities were informed to have 38 patients. In addition, the authority also failed to provide any information or discharge papers of the patients who allegedly shifted due to the oxygen shortage. The police also blamed the hospital for misleading people at the time when they were in panic due to the pandemic. The U.P., Police claimed it to be a serious crime leading to jeopardise patients in other hospitals.
However, the hospital management denied the allegations. Dewendra Tiwari, the Nursing in Charge at the hospital addressed a media source and said, “They can check our cameras…we did not have even one bed empty at that time.” He also said, “How could we even think of black marketing during such a situation when we cannot even provide oxygen to our patients?”
With these aforementioned data of COVID-19 violations and spreading rumours, the U.P., police registered the hospital authority under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC,) Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 and the Disaster Management Act 2005.
Sun Hospital has been charged with sections 51 (punishment for obstruction, etc) and 52 (punishment for false claim) of the Disaster Management Act 2005, Section 3 (penalty) of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 and Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code.
Meanwhile, Yogi Aadityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, said the State has no shortage of oxygen and demanded the National Security Act (NSA) be invoked against those who are spreading rumors.
