Patient attacks, chokes one staffer at Yerwada Regional Mental hospital

A hospital staffer of the Regional Mental Hospital (RMH), Yerwada, was attacked by a long-stay patient on Monday night near the ward number 27. Questions have been raised over the security arrangements at the hospital as the patient was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, who tried to throttle and kill the hospital staff.

Other staffers and doctors came to the rescue after which the patient (who attacked), Anil Gaikwad, was shifted to the Unch ward. However, officials have denied that the patient was under the influence of alcohol and claimed that he might have been agitated.

On Monday night, Gaikwad retreated to ward No. 27 when the staff at the hospital asked him to sleep properly.

Gaikwad, in a fit of anger, tried to kill a staffer by choking him. The ward security and the doctor learned about this incident taking place, and ran to the staffer’s rescue.

Since Gaikwad was not ready to calm down, doctors administered an injection for sleep. Later, he was shifted to the Unch ward.

Dr Abhijeet Phadnis, medical superintendent of RMH, said, “I inquired with the patient and even the staff, but none of them say that the incident occurred. It is impossible that the patient was consuming alcohol. I have received no complaint from the attendant saying he was attacked by the patient, who has been at the facility for a while and is completely normal now.”

However, Phadnis has said that he will look into the matter and investigate what has actually gone wrong. “Even if the staffer was attacked by the patient it happens when they are agitated,” he said.