Patient’s relatives create ruckus at Hope Hospital
   Date :04-Apr-2021

Hope Hospital_1 &nbs
 Cops inspecting the hospital vandalised by the relatives of a patient who died
during treatment. (Pic by Satish Raut)
 
 
Staff Reporter :
 
TENSION erupted near Teka Naka on Kamptee Road after relatives of a patient resorted to violence and arson at Hope Hospital after she succumbed to coronavirus during treatment on Saturday morning. The angry relatives threw petrol at the reception counter and set it afire. After damaging a printer, a laptop and other material, they manhandled hospital director Dr B K Murli and also injured an employee seriously.
 
Acting quickly, the hospital staff doused the flames using water-based firefighting equipment and fire extinguishers and averted a major tragedy. Before the firefighters of Fire & Emergency Department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Pachpaoli Police could reach the spot, the fire at the reception lobby was extinguished by the staff. As per details, a COVID-19 positive patient was admitted to the hospital. On Saturday morning, she breathed her last during treatment. Hospital authorities informed NMC officials about the death strictly adhering to the Standard Operating Procedure. The relatives of the deceased alleged that the hospital administration was demanding money and was reluctant to hand over the body.
 
Some of them alleged that there was an inordinate delay on the part of the NMC’s Health Department in taking away the body for the last rites. As there was none from the administrative staff to guide them, they lost temper and went on a rampage. Staff from Pachpaoli Police Station led by Senior Inspector Kishor Nagrale rushed to the spot to tackle the situation. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-III) Lohit Matani also visited the spot to supervise the probe. After conducting panchnama, cops took nine persons including one Omprakash Shahu into custody for questioning. Dr Murli told ‘The Hitavada’ that there were about 100 patients in the hospital.
 
One of the patients, who tested COVID-19 positive, died around 10.49 am. Soon, about 20-25 of her relatives stormed into the hospital and started demanding the body. “My staff tried to convince them that the NMC staff will take the body but they continued to create violence,” he said adding, “ One of our employees suffered a fracture after he was attacked by the vandalisers.” Dr Murli said, “Timely action by our staff by dousing the flames using fire extinguishers averted a major tragedy.” However, the estimated loss due to violence and arson was about Rs 10 lakh, he added. Dr Murli said that the matter was being investigated by Pachpaoli Police and appropriate action would initiated against all those involved in the incident.