Patient Dies After Ambulance Allegedly Runs Out of Fuel in Odisha—Operator Cites Mechanical Fault

Key Points

A 27-year-old patient died after the private ambulance transporting him from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar stopped midway on the Kathajodi bridge on 15 May 2026. Family members alleged the vehicle ran out of fuel during the emergency transfer.

The deceased, identified as Prakash Kumar Tandi of Kendrapara district, had allegedly consumed poison and was initially admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack in critical condition. His condition then deteriorated and doctors referred him to a private hospital near Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment.

The family then hired a private ambulance to shift him from Cuttack to the private facility at Phulnakhara. Relatives alleged that while crossing the Kathajodi river bridge, the ambulance came to a halt after running out of fuel.

“Despite requests, no one extended help by sharing fuel from their vehicles. It took around half an hour for another ambulance to reach the spot and, by that time, the oxygen supply had also run out and the patient had died,” alleged Jharana Das, Tandi’s sister-in-law. Videos circulating on social media showed the ambulance stranded on the bridge while distressed relatives appealed to passers by for help.

Another family member, Biswabhusan Kandi, said the ambulance driver assured them he would arrange fuel or another ambulance, but they remained stranded on the bridge for nearly 45 minutes.

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The incident took place amid reports of panic buying and long queues outside petrol pumps across Odisha following the recent fuel price hike. Odisha Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra said the state had sufficient petrol and diesel stocks for the next 13 days and urged people not to panic.

“The situation was due to panic buying by some people, who continued to purchase more fuel than they required,” Patra said, adding that demand for fuel had suddenly increased by nearly 50%.

Indian Oil Corporation Limited chief general manager Kamal Sheel also appealed to the public to avoid panic buying and maintained that there was no fuel shortage in the state.

The ambulance operator, however, denied allegations that the vehicle had run out of fuel. A representative of the company said the ambulance suffered a mechanical failure. “After the driver informed us, a mechanic checked the ambulance and confirmed a mechanical fault. There was sufficient fuel,” the representative said.

Police also attributed the incident to a technical defect rather than fuel depletion. Additional IIC of Cuttack Sadar police station Sushant Pani said the ambulance had developed a gearbox problem and that there was sufficient fuel in the vehicle.

Chief District Medical Officer Dr Prasant Kumar Hota said an inquiry had been initiated and a detailed report had been sought from the ambulance operator.

The incident also sparked political reactions from Opposition parties: BJD vice president Sanjay Dasburma alleged that people across Odisha were being forced to wait outside petrol pumps for several hours. Congress leaders attacked the BJP-led government, calling the incident a reflection of administrative failure amid mounting public anxiety over fuel availability.

[DS]

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