JALANDHAR: Three patients, including a young drug overdose victim, lost their lives at Civil Hospital Jalandhar due to an alleged failure in the hospital’s oxygen supply system — a tragedy that has triggered public outrage and fierce criticism of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab.
The deaths have highlighted not just a critical lapse in hospital infrastructure but also the deepening drug crisis in the state, raising serious questions about the AAP’s promises of healthcare reform and a drug-free Punjab.
Angad Dutta
One of the deceased had been admitted following a drug overdose but reportedly died in the ICU after the oxygen supply system failed — a preventable death that critics are calling “criminal negligence.”
Angad Dutta, Secretary of the Punjab Youth Congress, condemned the incident, accusing the AAP government of abandoning its core promises.
“AAP came to power with tall promises — world-class hospitals, zero drugs, and good governance. But today, youth are dying of addiction and hospitals are failing to provide life-saving support. What kind of governance allows this to happen?”
Dutta has demanded immediate action, including:
* A high-level judicial inquiry** into the technical failure at Civil Hospital, Jalandhar.
* Fixing accountability** for the deaths and punishment for those responsible.
* Immediate compensation** to the victims’ families.
* A state-wide action plan** to tackle drug abuse, with real measures instead of optics.
* Audit of oxygen plants and critical life support systems** in all government hospitals.
The incident comes as a stark contradiction to AAP’s repeated claims of upgrading Punjab’s health infrastructure. Opposition leaders, civil society members, and grieving families are now demanding transparency, reform, and justice.
“What’s worse than a drug crisis? A hospital that can’t save a drug victim even after he’s brought in alive. It’s not just policy failure — it’s human failure, ” said Dutta.
Despite growing calls for accountability, the AAP government has yet to respond officially to the Jalandhar incident.