New Delhi: In a shocking development in Rajasthan, a batch of 320 doses of Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin, was stolen from a Jaipur hospital on Wednesday.

32 vials of Covaxin were stolen on way to the vaccine centre from the cold storage. 1 vial of the Covaxin contains 10 doses of the vaccine.

The incident reportedly took place on Tuesday at Kanwatia Hospital in Shastri Nagar area of Jaipur.

Chief Medical Officer Narottam Sharma said, “320 doses have gone missing from the hospital. We have sought a probe into the incident and have lodged a case with the police.”

“We were shocked to see that 320 vaccine doses have gone missing from the hospital,” said the hospital official.

Corona Vaccine: Gehlot राज में चोरी हो रही है वैक्सीन, जयपुर में FIR दर्ज#Rajasthan #COVID19 @MoHFW_INDIA @RajCMO @ashokgehlot51

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Vaccine to be sold in black market? FIR lodged

Whether the vaccines were stolen to be sold in the black market will also be probed.

The FIR was lodged in the case after the hospital staff failed to locate the vaccine. The case has been registered under Section 380 (Whoever commits theft in any building, tent or vessel) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

COVID-19 vaccination is done free of cost at all government hospitals while in private hospitals, Rs 250 is charged per vaccine.

Rajasthan CM claimed vaccine shortage

Last week, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot raised a hue and cry over vaccine shortage in the state and said the state had insufficient stocks for the vaccination.

Gehlot had said that the number of Covid-19 doses available in Rajasthan is insufficient to carry on vaccination and the drive will have to be stopped in many districts.