Bhubaneswar, Oct. 24: Authorities of the IMS and SUM Hospital, which witnessed a fire mishap on October 17 in which 25 lives were lost, have alleged that many people were filing false casualty claims to get compensation declared by the state and central governments and the hospital.

The hospital authorities said families of at least two patients, who were not affected by the fire, staked claims to the compensation. While the state government announced Rs 5 lakh compensation each to the family of the deceased, the hospital and the Centre would also provide compensations of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh, respectively. The Centre has also announced an ex gratia of Rs 50,000 for each injured.

This, according to hospital authorities, has prompted many people to come forward with claims of deaths and injuries. "Two such cases were reported on October 21. One of these cases involved the death of 24-year-old Rashmita Swain. Swain had been suffering from arthritis and did not require to be shifted during the fire as she was undergoing treatment at a safe distance from the incident. The second case related to Biswanath Behera, 53, who had been undergoing treatment for cancer at the oncology department for a couple of months and got shifted as his bed was around 150 metres from the spot," said a Sum hospital official on the condition of anonymity.

"But, attendants of both the patients decided to shift them to Capital Hospital on October 17 after the fire by providing a written undertaking. After their deaths, their kins have started claiming that they died because of the fire mishap," the official said.

The health department control room, too, raised suspicion about the two cases. "We have asked the Khurda sub-collector to conduct a probe into the claims," said an official. The department also clarified that 25 people died in the tragedy. It also said 138 patients had to be evacuated from the hospital.

"Nineteen patients were received dead at other health care centres after being rescued from the hospital. Besides, six of the 119 patients, who were rescued and admitted at 12 city hospitals, also died," said the statement.

Police today visited the directorate of medical education and training to investigate how the hospital managed to renew its licence despite not obtaining a fire safety certificate. They also grilled Amit Banerjee, vice-chancellor of the SOA University that runs the hospital.