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This is an archive article published on January 3, 2024
Molestation accused jumps out of police vehicle in Northeast Delhi, dies after being denied treatment at 4 hospitals
The hospitals cited unavailability of beds or scan equipment for not admitting the accused, said the police.
A 47-year-old man accused of molesting a woman jumped off a police vehicle in Northeast Delhi and died later after he was denied treatment at three hospitals.
Picked up in a sexual assault case from Northeast Delhi, a 47-year-old man was being taken to the police station in a PCR van on Tuesday when he suddenly opened the window and jumped out. He was rushed to hospital after hospital — four in total — but was denied treatment at all allegedly due to a lack of facilities. The man eventually succumbed to his injuries.
Following the incident, Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj Wednesday sought a response from three Delhi government hospitals involved. “It has been brought to my notice by a media query that a victim of a road accident was allegedly refused admission by three Delhi government hospitals namely, GTB Hospital; JPC Hospital & Lok Nayak Hospital and one central government hospital namely, RML Hospital. The patient was not provided timely emergency medical treatment and succumbed to his injuries,” he said.
Bharadwaj also said that had the Farishtey scheme been fully functional in Delhi, the man could have been taken to a nearby private hospital, having requisite medical services. “This issue has been raised by me several times that due to non-payment of bills of private hospitals amounting to crores, they are now reluctant to admit road accident victims under the Farishtey scheme, wherein they are mandated to provide cashless treatment,” he said.
The AAP government has alleged that funds are not being released for the scheme.
What transpired
According to police, they received a PCR call on January 2 at 9.03 pm wherein the caller stated that a man in an inebriated condition was causing a ruckus. A police team reached the spot and found the caller, a 21-year-old woman, who alleged that the man, Pramod, had molested and abused her. Police took him into custody.
A senior police officer said two personnel were in the vehicle at the time. Just as they were about to reach the police station, Pramod, sitting in the rear seat, opened the window and jumped out in a bid to flee but fell on the road and sustained head injuries.
Initially, police took him to Jag Pravesh Chandra (JPC) Hospital and later to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital (GTB) in an ambulance. As a CT scan was unavailable at the latter, he could not be admitted there and was referred to Lok Nayak Hospital, police said. “However, because of the unavailability of ICU ventilator beds, he could not be admitted there too,” said DCP (Northeast) Joy Tirkey.
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The man was then taken to the RML Hospital but authorities allegedly denied him admission. “The man was brought back to JPC Hospital where he was declared dead at 5.45 am. A medical board has been constituted to conduct the post-mortem,” added the DCP.
According to officials at GTB Hospital, the CT scan machine is non-functional and repairs have been initiated on an urgent basis. “In the meantime, arrangements for an emergency CT scan is in place wherein a team from the Radiology department is sent to Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital,” said an official.
A senior official from Lok Nayak hospital said ventilator beds are not available most times but other hospitals should have escorted the man after contacting the administration.
JPC and RML hospital authorities remained unavailable for comment.
Pramod is survived by his wife and three children.
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