Judicial probe begins into death of 24 Covid patients at Chamarajanagara district hospital

Chamarajanagara: The A B Patil judicial commission on Wednesday began probe into the death of 24 patients on May 2 at the Chamarajanagara district hospital due to shortage of oxygen. The State government has set up the commission following orders issued by the State High Court on a PIL filed by an advocate for a probe into the deaths.

The incident triggered a widespread outrage throughout the country. The judicial commission which has opened its office in Jaladarshini guest house in Mysuru has issued a notification inviting complaints from organizations, family members of the victims and general public.

The major hitch the panel is likely to face is that most of the witnesses and complainants are from poor and middle class background, who cannot afford bus fares to participate in hearing in Mysuru. Chamarajanagara is

60 km away from Mysuru and the victims' relatives stay in villages 20-40 km away from the district head quarters of Chamarajanagara. Even if some of them can afford travelling expenses, they cannot go to Mysuru in this lockdown period as there is no public transport. Many of them are poor and illiterate and they urge the government to open the judicial commission office in Chamarajanagara so that they can submit their complaints and depose.