Faridabad Dalit youth assault: Family cries foul after hospital discharges him without further treatment

After Suraj, 32, lodged a complaint last month, the Faridabad police arrested the 19-year-old prime accused and apprehended two of his minor accomplices.

On June 26, Sahil was shifted from the Badshah Khan civil hospital to a private hospital. Faridabad district Chief Medical Officer Dr Jayant Ahuja said this was done with the family’s approval for better treatment.

“The deputy commissioner and the CMO helped facilitate the transfer. But now, he has been released while still wounded and hurt,” Suraj said.

The discharge summary, accessed by The Indian Express, also notes an episode of vomiting with blood, swelling across the body, high creatinine levels, anaemia and chronic kidney disease.

“He needs more intensive treatment. His ribs are also damaged. I think this might be a way to get the attempt to murder charge in the FIR dropped (by the accused with connivance of authorities),” Suraj added.

When contacted, the private hospital said the teen was admitted under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, and was discharged after a dialysis was carried out by the nephrology department.

After Sahil had returned home limping after the assault, the family alleged the accused had hurled casteist slurs at Sahil. In his complaint, Suraj alleged the four accused “kept the teenager hostage in a room… cut his hair, eyebrows, moustache and beard, turned him upside down and beat him with sticks and an iron rod”.

The police, however, earlier said there is no caste angle. The FIR, though, invokes the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, among other charges. Sahil’s family is from the Jatav caste.

The medico-legal report found the teen had sustained 12 wounds, 10 of which were blunt force impact ones needing orthopaedic assessment, and two ‘simple’ ones caused by a sharp object.