The NHRC has sent a notice to the Maharashtra government over death of “a large number of patients” at two state-run hospitals in Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar districts within 24 hours. Besides, the National Human Rights Commission has asked its Special Rapporteur P N Dixit to visit the two hospitals where these deaths have been reported, the rights panel said in a statement on Thursday.

The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report, carried on October 4, that “a large number of patients died in two state-run hospitals in Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar districts of Maharashtra within twenty-four hours”. According to the news report, the patients have allegedly died in these hospitals due to “lack of medical help and a shortage of essential medicines,” it said.