VISAKHAPATNAM: A 58-year-old resident of Venkatapuram passed away here on Monday, allegedly due to the gas leak that affected the village on May 7 and claimed at least 12 lives.
The deceased, K Satyanarayana, was hospitalised after the gas leak from the LG Polymers plant and was discharged from the King George Hospital a few days ago, his relatives said, adding that since them, he had to return for treatment three times.
They said he died due to complications from inhaling the styrene vapour. Satyanarayana had been staying with his son, an auto driver.
Gopalpatnam police SHO P Ramanaiah said a case has been registered based on a complaint by Satyanarayana’s relatives, and the body has been sent for a post-mortem examination.On May 29, a 73-year-old resident of the region, Venkayamma, died, and on June 1, another resident, Yelamanchili Kanaka Raju, passed away.
However, it is not yet known whether these deaths were due to the gas leak, as the forensic reports are yet to arrive.
CPM city secretary Ganga Rao said the gas leak has claimed 15 lives so far — 12 instantly, and three in the subsequent days — and demanded that a clinic with ventilator support be set up immediately in Venkatapuram.
Ganga Rao further highlighted the delay in releasing Venkayamma and Kanaka Raju’s forensic reports, and demanded that their families get the same compensation given to the kin of the other victims.