First-year MS Orthopaedics medico suspended for allegedly abandoning destitute patient away from Sassoon General Hospital

Pune: In a shocking incident, a first-year postgraduate student of the Department of Orthopaedics at Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) has been suspended for allegedly abandoning a destitute patient who lost both his legs in an accident by forcefully discharging him without providing him with necessary treatment.  

It has been alleged that the doctor, a first-year student pursuing master's in surgery in orthopaedics along with his colleague abandoned the patient with both his legs amputated on a road several kilometres away from the hospital.  

The patient, a 32-year-old resident of Madhya Pradesh, who was admitted for treatment after a bus accident on June 16 lost both legs, was taken out of the hospital and left to fend for himself on Monday midnight.

In addition to suspending the doctor, Dr Eknath Pawar, dean of Sassoon Hospital also initiated an inquiry into the incident after police registered a case against the doctor under section 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

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A shocking video showing the patient, with both his legs amputated, under a tree went viral on social media drawing attention from internet users who criticised the management of the hospital in this regard.  

This disturbing incident came to light after Activist Ritesh Gaikwad and social activist Dadasaheb Gaikwad exposed it demanding action against the erring doctor and improvements in hospital management.

Speaking about the incident in detail, Ritesh Gaikwad, a member of a social organisation told PTI that they work for people who are destitute and live on the streets.

"We generally take such patients to the Sassoon General Hospital for treatment in case of any emergency. But we recently came to know that destitute patients are abandoned by the hospital authorities," he said.

"We then decided to lay a trap and kept a watch around the hospital during the night and I acted as an autorickshaw driver," Gaikwad said.

In the wee hours of July 22, while he was outside the gate with an autorickshaw, a doctor from the Sassoon hospital approached and told him that they wanted to take a patient outside.

"I readily agreed and offered a ride. While the patient, who had no legs, was in my vehicle, both the doctors on bike asked me to follow them," Gaikwad said.

He said he followed the doctors to the mental hospital in Yerwada, where they abandoned him under a banyan tree and left.

"I then called up the police control room as well as 108 ambulance service and re-admitted the patient to the Sassoon Hospital, who is currently undergoing treatment at ward number 12," the social worker said.

He added that after this incident, they approached the dean of the hospital and sought clarification on the incident.

"We were told that the doctors have been suspended by the hospital authorities," he said.

Meanwhile, another member of the organisation, Dadarao Gaikwad, filed a complaint with the Yerawada police station against the doctor and his colleague under section 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of BNS.

Speaking on the incident, Dr Eknath Pawar said, "The patient was undergoing treatment at the orthopaedic department. He underwent surgery on June 27. Two days ago, I was told that the patient had gone absconding from the hospital." 

Dr Pawar said that when he was admitted to the hospital, he was insisting on going back home. When asked about allegations of patients being abandoned, he said that if such an incident has taken place, appropriate action will be taken against those responsible.

When asked how the patient who has no legs could travel to Yerwada, he said that an inquiry had been initiated.

Senior inspector Sandeepan Pawar from Bund Garden police station told TOI, "Police are yet to ascertain the identities of the duo named in the FIR. We will study the CCTV footage and records of the hospital and will also examine how the patient was taken out, on whose orders, and why he was abandoned. Based on the outcome of this investigation, we will decide further action against those named in the FIR."

An investigation into the case is underway. 

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