Deceased man’s acquaintances attack hospital staff, damage property alleging negligence

PUNE: Acquaintances of a 45-year-old patient went on a rampage— injuring some hospital staff and damaging property — after a doctor at the Inamdar hospital broke the news of his death late on Saturday evening.

A prompt response from the police averted further damage to life and property.

The patient, a resident of Kondhwa, complained of chest pain at around 1 pm on Saturday. He went to a nearby hospital, where the doctors carried out an electrocardiogram (ECG). He was then advised to get immediately admitted to a tertiary care hospital. The patient was then taken to Inamdar hospital in Fatimanagar at around 6.50 pm.

“The report of his ECG, taken again at the Inamdar hospital, indicated that he had suffered an episode of Acute Massive Myocardial Infarction or heart attack. Doctors immediately started administering thrombolysation — a treatment to dissolve dangerous clots in the blood vessels. He was given other necessary and emergency medical care as well. He was then shifted to the hospital’s cardiac critical care unit, where he collapsed,” said Parvez Inamdar, the hospital’s medical director and orthopaedic surgeon.

Over the next two hours, the doctors tried their best to revive him. The patient was given the needed emergency care as per the protocol laid down by the American Heart Association. Unfortunately, he could not be revived. He was declared dead and immediately, his relatives were counselled, Inamdar added.

Though there were no apparent complaints from the man’s relatives, a group of people turned violent. They went on a rampage and even attacked innocent bystanders who were visiting other patients. They also grievously injured hospital staff who were present to provide care to patients. The mob destroyed hospital property as well. The prompt response from the police averted further damage, he added

Senior police inspector Sayaji Gavare, of Wanowrie police station, said, “The incident occurred at around midnight on Sunday. We intervened immediately when we came to know about the incident. We asked the relatives to furnish a complaint so that we can carry out a post mortem to rule out any medical negligence. However, the relatives didn’t file a complaint. Therefore, the body was handed over to them.”

“The hospital administration also didn’t file a complaint against the relatives,” he said.