Delhi Covid Crisis: Over 100 oxygen concentrators seized from Khan Market

The Delhi Police on Friday conducted a raid on two popular food joints in the city’s popular Khan market area and recovered more than 100 oxygen concentrators, used for treatment of Covid-19 patients. While 96 oxygen concentrators were recovered from Khan Chacha Restaurant and nine were seized from Town Hall restaurant, both situated in the Khan Market area, news agency PTI reported quoting police officials.

Amid huge demand for oxygen, centre had allowed import of oxygen concentrators for personal use till July 31, through post, courier or e-commerce portals under gift category. oxygen concentrator concentrates the life saving gas from ambient air and then filter the air, unlike oxygen cylinders which can only store a fixed amount of oxygen. The recovery comes amid acute shortage of medical oxygen

The recovery of over 100 oxygen concentrators comes after the arrest of four men — Gaurav, Satish Sethi, Vikrant and Hitesh from south Delhi”s Lodhi Colony area on Wednesday for allegedly indulging in black marketing of oxygen concentrators.

After the arrest of the four men, the police had recovered 419 oxygen concentrators that were meant to be sold in black market.

Police said during interrogation, Hitesh disclosed that they were hoarding oxygen concentrators in these restaurants following which raids were conducted at the joints at the Khan Market area and the equipments were recovered.

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Earlier today, the Supreme Court ordered the central government not to reduce oxygen supply to Delhi from 700MT till further orders. Meanwhile, Delhi reported 19,832 new coronavirus cases, 19,085 recoveries and 341 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the state health department.