Death in Nair hospital MRI room: Resident doctor in charge of radiology dept arrested

In his statement, he informed the police that he was in the console room where a computer is used to operate the MRI machine when the accident that led to the death of Rajesh Maru, a 32-year-old garment salesman in Lalbaug, took place.

On Wednesday, the Agripada police recorded the statement of Harish Solanki, Maru’s relative and an eyewitness to the incident. Solanki detailed the role of Shah, a first year radiology student, who was in charge when they visited the

MRI unit to conduct a brain scan of his mother Laxmi Solanki. In his statement, Harish Solanki said his 65-year-old mother was to undergo an MRI scan of brain on January 27. Of two doctors, only one doctor was posted. Shah met the family in the reception area where the four family members were asked to remove all metallic items. “Radiology department’s ayah Sunita Surve told us to remove all our jewellery and any metallic items we had. In the meantime, Dr Siddhant and Dr Saurabh went to a room in the MRI department,” Harish said in his statement.

“Dr Siddhant called out to us, and asked the ward boy to hurry. He asked whether we want to get the MRI test done or not. He then asked why we were standing out and not coming inside the MRI room. Ward boy Vitthal asked Rajesh to carry an oxygen cylinder along for my mother,” the statement reads.

Maru picked up the cylinder and followed the ward boy into the MRI room. The statement says both doctors proceeded to another room in the MRI unit while the family stood in the passage outside the room. “As soon as Maru crossed the doorway to enter MRI room, he and the iron cylinder were pulled by the magnetic force. We shouted “machine band karo, koi to machine band karo (switch off the machine)”, Solanki said in his statement.

The family has initially named three hospital staffers saying they were present at the spot when the accident occurred. “When we realised that the technician was in fact a doctor, we realised he could have warned us against carrying the cylinder. But even he said nothing,” Solanki told The Indian Express. Meanwhile, the MRI machine — a Philips Achieva 1.5t Nova dual gradient model — remained defunct for the fifth day at the hospital due to non-availability of technicians and tools required to dislodge the oxygen cylinder from the machine.

The fingers of the deceased, that were severed during the impact, continue to be stuck between the cylinder and the machine. His family on Thursday waited outside the MRI unit to see if his fingers had been removed so that they could cremate them. “We don’t know why there is a delay in removing the cylinder. We are not even allowed to enter the MRI room,” said Yogesh Maru, elder brother of the deceased.

Incidentally, the MRI machine already had an oxygen tube for patients in critical need of a ventilator. It also had an MRI compatible anaesthesia unit and a vacuum suction tube. “We are waiting for technicians to check whether the oxygen support was functional at the time of the incident. It is possible that it was not working,” said a police officer.