A 27-year-old man allegedly died after the private ambulance transporting him from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar ran out of fuel midway.
The deceased, identified as Prakash Kumar Tandi from Kendrapara district, was being shifted from SCB Medical College and Hospital to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment after he allegedly consumed poison. According to family members, his condition was critical and he was on oxygen support during the transfer.
The incident happened on the Kathajodi river bridge.
Relatives alleged that the ambulance stopped abruptly on the bridge after exhausting its fuel supply. The family claimed that despite desperate attempts to arrange help, it took nearly 30 minutes for another ambulance to reach the spot.
By the time an alternative vehicle arrived, the oxygen cylinder inside the ambulance had also run empty and Prakash had died, family members alleged.
Videos on social media showed the ambulance stranded on the bridge amid moving traffic, while distressed relatives and bystanders were seen pleading for help. The visuals sparked widespread outrage and renewed criticism over emergency medical infrastructure in the state.
The incident also triggered sharp political reactions. Bhakta Charan Das, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee, attacked the BJP-led Odisha government, calling the episode a “horrifying reflection” of administrative failure.
“An ambulance running out of fuel midway and a patient losing his life… What happened to the Prime Minister’s claim that everything is under control?” Das said in a post on X while sharing the viral video.
The tragedy comes amid reports of panic buying and long queues at petrol pumps across Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, despite repeated assurances from the government that there is no fuel shortage.
Krushna Chandra Patra, Minister of Science and Technology of Odisha, had earlier stated that the state had sufficient fuel stock for at least 13 days and urged people not to panic.
Biju Janata Dal, another prominent opponent in Odisha, has also criticised the government over the situation, accusing it of failing to manage public concerns effectively.
The victim’s family has demanded a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the death. Authorities are yet to issue a detailed official statement on the incident.
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