Guntur: Gang of 8 selling injections to black fungus patients arrested

Guntur: Guntur urban police arrested eight persons selling Amphotericin-B injections to be administered to the patients suffering from black fungus at higher price.

They seized 46 injections and Rs3,04,000 from their possession. The accused confessed to the crime and said that they had sold 64 injections at higher price in the open market to make a fast buck.

According to South Coastal Zone Guntur Range DIG CM Trivikarma Varma, the cost of an injection is Rs314.The accused have been selling the injection for Rs30,000 in the black market and cheating the innocent patients. Based on the demand they are selling the injection. The injection is used as antiviral to the patients suffering from the blackfungus. Generally, based on the private doctors' prescription, the Joint Collector will sanction 16 injections at Rs 33,000. The doctors in the government hospitals will administer the injection to the patients free of cost.

Some medical representatives formed a group and saying that there is scarcity for the injections. They are selling the injection at higher prices. Based on the information, the police officials formed a team and arrested the accused Perikala Vinod Kumar, Popuri Koteswara Rao, Anne Gopi Krishna, Kota Nageswara Rao, Addanki Lakshminarayana, Telukula Venkateswarulu, M Neelambaram and Yeleswarupu Rajesh.

Trivikarama Varma urged the people not to believe postings in the social media about injections and medicines to the patients suffering from black fungus.

Based on the doctor's prescription, the district administration is supplying the injections, he said.