Pune: Patients Relatives Assault Doctors At Inamdar Hospital, 4 Persons Arrested

Mubarak Ansari

Wanowrie, 31 March 2021: Pune city police have arrested four persons for allegedly assaulting doctors at Inamdar Hospital in Fatimanagar on March 25 night. They were angry after their patient was put on ventilator support as his condition deteriorated.

Based on a complaint from Dr Suhel Akhtar Khan (37), an orthopedic surgeon who runs Sana Hospital in Kondhwa, Wanowrie police station has registered FIR against Asif Shaikh of Kondhwa and his three accomplices.

According to the police, one Tabrez Shaikh of Kondhwa had gone to Sana Hospital on March 13 as he had a fever. He was asked to get the Coronavirus disease (COVID19) test done but he refused to do so. However, his x-ray and blood test were done, and it was suspected that he was COVID positive. The doctors started the treatment, but his sugar level remained uncontrolled. Therefore, the doctors treating him requested his family to shift him to the COVID centre for further treatment.

Accordingly, he was admitted to Inamdar Hospital in Fatimanagar on March 21. Till then he was admitted to Sana Hospital as there were no beds available in other hospitals in the vicinity.

Dr Khan stated in his complaint, “On March 22, I came to know from Tabrez’s relative that he has been put on a ventilator. Then, around 8.30 pm on March 25, three persons came to Sana Hospital and met Dr Zakir Khan and requested him to intervene as they are not getting proper information about the condition of Tabrez at Inamdar Hospital. A relative of the patient had spoken on phone to me. They requested Dr Zakir to accompany them to Inamdar Hospital. Around 9.30 pm, five more people came and started requesting us to come with them to Inamdar Hospital.”

Dr Suhel further said, “I went to Inamdar Hospital Fatimanagar with Dr Zakir, Dr Rafe Farooqi, my uncle Wahid Khan and Kalim Pathan to inquire about Tabrez’s condition. Dr Zakir and I went to see Tabrez in the ICU on the 4th floor. After going there, we saw that Tabrez was on the ventilator. We met the doctors there and discussed his condition. Also, when we saw his patient file, X-ray, we noticed that the patient was improving.

After that, we came down and met Tabrez’s relatives and told them about his condition. We also informed them that the patient is currently on a ventilator however, his condition is improving. At that time, one of his relatives asked me how the patient went on the ventilator. I explained that Tabrez is suffering from diabetes and his health has deteriorated. Thus, doctors put him on the ventilator.

There Asif Sheikh, a resident of Kamela in Kondhwa, came with three of his friends (full name and address not known). They started arguing that because of us the patient is on a ventilator. He started abusing us. Then my uncle Waheed Khan explained to the relatives of Tabrez Sheikh that the doctor has given the right treatment and you can cross-check patient treatment details at another hospital. While arguing Asif slapped my uncle Waheed Khan and when I intervened, Asif and his three other accomplices beat me, Dr Zakir and Dr Farooqi with hands and kicks. We fled to the parking area and called the police by dialing 100. As the cops arrived, the accused fled.”

Adv Tosif Shaikh and Adv Kranti Sahane who assisted the doctor in filing the FIR, said, “Four accused persons have been arrested by Wanowrie police station for offences under sections 323 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institution Act.”