Ballia Medical Officer arrested for bribery dies of heart attack

Varanasi: In an unfortunate incident, a Medical Officer in-charge at the Bansdih Community Health Centre (CHC) in Ballia district, died of a suspected heart attack while in judicial custody in Varanasi, just five days after being arrested on bribery charges.

The doctor, identified as Venkatesh Maurya, was in jail when he suffered a heart attack and was rushed to a hospital in Varanasi after his health worsened, but he could not be saved.

According to local media reports, the doctor was arrested by a Vigilance team on bribery charges after he was allegedly caught red-handed while taking a bribe of Rs 20,000. The incident came to light after Ajay Tiwari, the director of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendra, which operates on the CHC premises, filed a complaint against the doctor.

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Following this, the Vigilance team from Varanasi laid a trap and arrested the doctor inside the OPD room of the health centre. After his arrest, he was taken to Varanasi and produced before the court, which sent him to 14 days’ judicial custody, reports ETV Bharat.

Dr. Maurya was a native of Khaira village in Aurangabad district, Bihar, and was living with his wife and two sons in a rented house in Ballia city. Besides handling the Bansdih CHC, he was also in charge of Maniyar Hospital. Following news of his death, staff at Bansdih CHC observed two minutes of silence to pay tribute to the deceased doctor.

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that a 39-year-old dental surgeon who was a fitness enthusiast and participated in a 20-mile (32-km) marathon in Goa died of a massive heart attack at home hours after completing the race. He had taken part in the 20-mile category marathon held annually alongside the Zuari River in South Goa’s Chicalim village. Despite receiving timely CPR from his family, who are all doctors, Dr Kudalkar did not survive.

Dr Kudalkar was a fitness lover who routinely participated in marathons, cycling events and badminton tournaments and also won medals in the past few years. His father claimed that he was extremely fit as he was an active person who did regular workouts. Despite his being healthy, he could not survive.

Also read- Goa Dental Surgeon dies of Heart Attack hours after completing 32 km Marathon