KOZHIKODE: Kozhikode Medical College Police registered a case in connection with the death of five patients due to purported smoke inhalation in the emergency department of Kozhikode Medical College. The victims have been identified as Gopalan, Gangadharan, Surendran, Ganga and Nazira. The police have registered a case of unnatural death. The action is based on the allegation that the five patients died due to smoke inhalation and suffocation.

The authorities have decided to conduct a postmortem on the bodies of all five deceased. The cause of death will be clear only after the postmortem, said Medical College Principal Dr. Sajith Kumar. The principal has sought the help of the police to move the medicines from the building where the accident occurred. The medicines are being moved to an old building prepared by the emergency department.

Authorities have denied allegations that patients died due to smoke in the hospital. According to the principal, one of the victims was declared brought dead at the hospital, while all others had serious health ailments.

The hospital authorities' response came after Congress MLA T. Siddique alleged that the death occurred due to smoke in the medical college. Meanwhile, BJP workers surrounded the principal's office on Saturday morning with a protest.