The death of Covid-19 patients due to non supplying of oxygen is a "criminal act and not less than a "genocide", said that the Allahabad High Court on Tuesday amid reports of shortage of medical oxygen due to rise in Covid-19 infections.

"We are at pain in observing that death of Covid-19 patients just for non supplying of oxygen to the hospitals is a criminal act and not less than a genocide by those who have been entrusted the task to ensure continuous procurement and supply chain of the liquid medical oxygen," read the order by a bench of Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Siddhartha Varma.