Mysore/Mysuru: KPCC Spokesperson M. Lakshmana has claimed that the District Administration was trying to manipulate COVID deaths in the district to ‘mislead’ people and prompt the State Government to continue strict lockdown for some more weeks.

Addressing a press meet at Congress Office near City Railway Station this morning, Lakshmana said that from the beginning, the District Administration and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), at the instance of District Minister S.T. Somashekar, was hiding COVID deaths. 

According to documents in his possession, there was not a single death on June 16, but the district authorities showed 28 deaths. On June 17 too there was zero death, but they have shown 26 deaths. One death took place on June 18, but 15 deaths were shown according to Government bulletin. Similarly, there was one death on June 19, but they have shown 17 deaths. On June 21, six persons had succumbed to Coronavirus, but the Government bulletin showed 33 deaths. The deaths occurred during the months of March, April and May, were shown as daily deaths, he claimed.

“I appeal the current DC, Dr. Bagadi Gautham not to commit the mistake committed by his predecessor. You stick to rules and release death data without concealing facts,” he said. 

The District Administration has reduced RT-PCR test to show low mortality rate. By doing this, the BJP leaders want the Government to extend lockdown further. 

Lakshmana claimed that according to Civil Registration Society, Department of Statistics, report, as many as 1,67,788 persons have died of COVID from April, 2020 to May, 2021 in the State, but the Government has put up the number of deaths to 29,090.