Cuttack: In a heartbreaking incident amid the ongoing fuel shortage concerns in Odisha, a patient allegedly died after the ambulance carrying him ran out of fuel midway on the Kathajodi bridge while being shifted from SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar.

The deceased has been identified as Prakash Kumar Tandi from Kendrapara district.

Patient dies while being shifted from Cuttack SCB to Bhubaneswar 

According to family members, Prakash had allegedly consumed poison and was initially admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack in a critical condition. As his health deteriorated, doctors reportedly advised shifting him to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment.

However, while the ambulance was transporting the patient, it allegedly stopped on the Kathajodi river bridge after running out of fuel. Family members claimed that the ambulance remained stranded on the road for a considerable period, during which the patient’s condition worsened and he eventually died.

The family further alleged that the oxygen supply inside the ambulance had also been exhausted, aggravating the emergency situation.

The incident comes at a time when fuel shortages and panic buying have been reported from several parts of Odisha and across the country, with long queues seen outside petrol pumps in many urban centres.

Meanwhile, Odisha Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Friday denied any shortage of petrol or diesel in the state. He claimed that Odisha currently has sufficient fuel stock for the next 13 days.

The Minister urged people not to panic or hoard fuel in containers and jerrycans. He clarified that confusion spread after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to citizens to reduce fuel consumption as part of broader economic strengthening measures.

The tragic incident has triggered outrage among the public, with many questioning the preparedness of emergency healthcare services during a fuel crisis.