Mumbai: After seven people died in a single day reported at a hospital in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, relatives alleged shortage of oxygen supply and administrative failure at the facility. The deaths — all reported from the intensive care unit — may also indicate larger crisis gripping the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation under whose jurisdiction the Nala Sopara hospital falls. However, the officials at the tertiary care centre said the patients were already in critical condition at the time of admission.

Soon after the deaths were reported, a huge crowd gathered at the hospital to vent its fury. Some of the people gathered at the premises said that if they had been informed about the situation earlier, the victims could have been shifted to other facilities in Mumbai or other places.

Looking at the crowd, the police arrived at the hospital premises to calm down the angry mob. Moreover, the hospital authorities said that the patients didn’t make it because they had low immunity, were advanced in age, and had co-morbidities.

“The oxygen supply was made available by 3 AM. Families of the deceased had a spat with hospital administration over the bill. If they want to file a complaint against the hospital, they can,” Rajendra Kamble, Senior Police Inspector, said.

Locals, however, allege that the Vasai-Virar municipality has been facing a shortage of oxygen cylinders over the past many days. Taking to Twitter, local MLA Kshitij Thakur tweeted, tagging the Prime Minister’s Office, highlighting the critical condition in Vasai Taluk. “Notably, the supply can run for only three hours. There are more than 7,000 active cases in the area and more than 3,000 people require oxygen supply daily,” said Thakur of Bahujan Vikas Aghadi party.