IAS officer to probe deaths in Chamarajanagar hospital

Following the death of 23 patients at the Chamarajanagar district hospital, allegedly due to shortage of oxygen, the state government on Monday appointed IAS officer Shivayogi Kalasad to probe the incident and submit a report in three days.

The death of 23 patients at the district hospital between 9 am on May 2 and 7 am on May 3 was "of extreme concern and the government has taken the issue seriously,” an order said.

Kalasad, the KSRTC managing director, has been named as the investigating officer. The order was issued by N Manjunatha Prasad, Member-Secretary, Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority.

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Meanwhile, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that he issued directions to Director General of Police Praveen Sood for a comprehensive report on the incident.

A total of 24 deaths occurred between Sunday morning and Monday morning. While 23 died in the district hospital, one person succumbed at a private facility - all of them allegedly due to lack of oxygen.

However, the Chamarajanagar district administration has attributed 12 deaths to oxygen shortage, maintaining that the remaining deaths were due to various comorbidities of the patients.

The Opposition Congress has attacked the state government with party president D K Shivakumar accusing it of “criminal negligence”.