At least 10 people have been arrested in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday for allegedly selling “fake” blood platelets. Police have also seized 18 pouches of plasma and three pouches of suspicious blood platelets along with cash.
The arrests come in the backdrop of the death of a dengue patient, who was allegedly transfused with fruit juice instead of blood platelets, in Prayagraj on Thursday.
“Based on the information, the police have arrested 10 people, who used to sell fake platelets to people in need. These people used to take plasma from the blood bank, fill it in different pouches, put stickers of platelets and sell it to the people,” said Shailesh Kumar Pandey, SSP, Prayagraj.
Police have initiated a probe into possible nexus related to the case after a video of the alleged incident went viral on social media. Police said that as of now, there is no clarity on whether fruit juice was transfused to a dengue patient who died in Prayagraj.