Family assaults Vashi doctors, smash hospital door after kin dies

The vandalised the emergency room at Hiranandani Hospital

Three members of a family manhandled the medical staff and vandalised the emergency room of a hospital in Vashi after their relative died in the wee hours of Tuesday. They have accused the hospital of not paying attention to the patient, who was breathless, and claiming there were no ICU beds, the police said.

The Hiranandani Hospital administration acknowledged that that there were no vacant ICU beds, but said the patient died even before they could make alternative arrangements.

Late on Monday, Suresh Chavhan, a 48-year-old vegetable vendor from Ghansoli, complained of breathing problems. "He was rushed to a private hospital where doctors told the family to take him to a multispecialty hospital," an officer from Vashi police station said. "The family took Chavhan to Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, around 4 am, but he succumbed in the emergency room," he added.

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Staff manhandled
After Chavhan was declared dead, three of his relatives assaulted the doctors and medical staff who tried to intervene. They smashed the glass door of the emergency room and entry gates with chairs.

"We are in the process of registering an FIR against the three," Sanjeev Dhumal, senior inspector from Vashi police station, said. No arrest has been made in the case yet, Dr Trupti Rathod, head of medical services at Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, said, "As soon as the patient was brought to the emergency room, the medical team started assessing him.

Meanwhile, his family enquired about hospitalisation and we told them that all critical care beds were full. Even before we could assist the family with the next step, the patient collapsed. This occurred within three minutes of his arrival. Immediately, all life-saving procedures were initiated and CPR was administered, but the patient could not be revived."

Dr Rathod said the family reacted aggressively to the news. Medical staff have sustained "grave injuries" and are "badly traumatised by the incident".

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