10 held for selling fake platelets in UP's Prayagraj after 'Mosambi juice' death

Prayagraj, Oct 21: At least 10 people have been arrested in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday for allegedly selling blood plasma as platelets to families of dengue patients.

The action comes in the wake of the death of a dengue patient, who was allegedly transfused with fruit juice instead of blood platelets, in Prayagraj on Thursday.

According to the police, the accused used to take plasma from different blood banks and then put it in pouches and sell the plasma as platelet.

The arrests were made acting on specific inputs and the police also seized adding some fake platelet pouches from the possession of the accused.

The police , however said that there is no clarity on whether fruit juice was transfused to a dengue patient who died in Prayagraj.

"During the course of interrogation, it has not been confirmed whether it was a fruit juice in the pouch or something else," said Senior Superintendent of Police Shailesh Kumar Pandey.

"These people sell plasma as platelets. A sample is being sent to a laboratory and a correct picture will emerge only after an examination," the SP said.

A private hospital in Prayagraj was sealed on Thursday for allegedly transfusing fruit juice instead of blood platelets to a dengue patient who later died.

After a video of the alleged incident went viral, the district administration swung into action and on the direction of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak sealed the hospital.

However, no FIR has been registered at the local police station in connection with the case.

The owner of the private hospital had claimed that the platelets were brought from a different medical facility and the patient developed a reaction after three units were transfused to him.

As of now, an inquiry is underway and the platelets will also be tested.