Homeless man admitted in Kalyan civic hospital; found in same spot next day, dies

Photo used for representational purpose

A senior citizen died after he was allegedly abandoned on a street by the hospital where he had been taken to around 24 hours before. He had been taken to Rukminibai Civic Hospital in Kalyan West by a political party worker with the help of police. The hospital authorities claim somebody took him from the hospital without admitting him. The police are verifying the claim and have filed an Accidental Death Report (ADR) in the matter.

On the afternoon of February 17 (Wednesday), Umesh Borgaonkar, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) worker, received information that an unidentified man was lying ill on the footpath of Amrut Park at Kalyan (W). The police said the man used to stay at the spot. When Borgaonkar reached the spot he realised the person was paralysed and couldn't move or tell his name.

What happened

Borgaonkar contacted the Bazarpeth cops and told them about him. A patrolling van reached the spot and the police took the man to the KDMC-run Rukminibai Hospital. "Me and some of my associates helped the police in putting that man in an ambulance to go to the hospital. But I didn't accompany them. We were worried about his health but content that he got medical care at the right time," said Borgaonkar.

Uphade being taken on Wednesday to the hospital

On Thursday afternoon, Borgaonkar again received a call from a party worker, that the man had been found again on the same footpath. "We rushed to the spot again, and found his breathing was slowing down. We realised he hadn't got enough time. Still we called the police but while we were taking him to the hospital in an ambulance he passed away. It was shocking to see how he was found at the spot again," he added.

When mid-day contacted Yashwant Chavhan, senior inspector of Bazarpeth police station, he said, "The incident is surprising. How did this man leave the hospital? Was he abandoned by the hospital or did any other person take him? We still don't know. The hospital claims that they were treating him but some unknown person took him back. We are verifying this."

The deceased was identified as Shantaram Nagoji Uphade, 60, his daughter claimed the body on Friday. The police traced her after they found Uphade used to do minor jobs for the hawkers near Amrut Park.

‘No negligence'

When contacted, the Chief Medical Officer of Rukminibai Civic Hospital, Dr Purushottam Tike said, "The man was brought to hospital on Wednesday evening, but the person who had brought him didn't admit him. Hospital authorities asked him to just bring the case paper but he didn't pay any attention and took him back. There is no negligence on our part."

Bhausaheb Kathkade, the ambulance owner who took Uphade to the hospital, refuted its claims and said, "We took the patient to hospital but the on duty doctors and ward boys were reluctant to admit him and started questioning us. We told them it's not our job to do case papers and other things. We told them if a patient comes to the hospital it's their job to treat him and cops need to establish his identity. We placed the patient on a stretcher and left after a while."

The police are now gathering CCTV footage to verify the claims made by the hospital authorities of not abandoning the patient.