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Journalism of Courage
In Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam, a man has claimed he was held captive in a private hospital while his family was forced to pay Rs 1 lakh for what now appears to be an unnecessary treatment.
According to a report by the Free Press Journal, Banti Ninama, a resident of Deendayal Nagar, was admitted to the hospital after getting injured in a fight. His family was told that he had a severe spinal fracture and had slipped into a coma, requiring immediate and expensive treatment. Fearing for his life, his wife and mother scrambled to arrange the hefty sum, borrowing from friends and relatives.
However, what happened next left everyone stunned. In a viral video circulating online, Ninama—who was supposedly unconscious—was seen casually walking out of the hospital room, showing no signs of the severe condition the doctors had described.
Ninama said that he was forcibly restrained by five hospital staff members while they pressured his family for money. Desperate to escape, he seized an opportunity and made his way out of the ICU, blowing the lid off the alleged scam.
Confirming the ordeal, his wife said, “They told us he had a spinal fracture and had fallen into a coma. They handed us prescriptions, and we bought everything they asked for. Then, they told us to pay Rs 1 lakh for the treatment. We had to beg our relatives for money. We ran from one place to another and finally managed to gather the amount.”
The shocking revelation has sparked widespread outrage, with people questioning the ethics of private hospitals. Many on social media have demanded stricter regulations, with one user commenting, “Private hospitals need regulation and ethics classes… doctors are becoming extortionists and blackmailers.” Another user said, “Ask the government to facilitate a good government hospital, simple—automatically private hospital prices will slow down.”
