A case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code, is being registered against at least six hospitals in Kollam and Thrivananthapuram districts for refusing to admit a seriously injured victim of a road accident resulting in his death seven hours after the accident.
State Police Chief Loknath Behera reacted in a Facebook post stating that strong action would be taken against the hospitals “responsible for this reprehensible offence”. The hospitals which denied admission to the victim without a valid reason have done wrong “and I have instructed the police to register a case”.
Kollam City Police Commissioner S. Ajeetha Beegum told The Hindu that the case was being registered on the basis of the statement given by the driver of the ICU ambulance, Raju, who took the victim to the hospitals on Sunday night. While the Chathannur police have registered the accident case, the Kottiyam police have registered the case under Section 304 of the IPC. Circle inspector Ajayanath is investigating the case registered by the Kottiyam police.
The victim, Murugan, 30, a native of Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, made a living by milking cows in Kollam and resides at Kottiyam. Murugan was travelling with a friend on Sunday on a motorcycle, which collided with a scooter on National Highway 66 near Ithikara at 10 p.m. and sustained serious head injuries.
The police rushed him to the Kottiyam KIMS Hospital but was told that no ventilators were vacant. The police engaged the ambulance driven by Raju who took him to Medicity where the hospital authorities informed Raju that there was no ventilator vacancy. He then took the victim to nearby Meditrina Hospital and there too he was denied admission. A PTI report quoting police sources said the hospitals refused to admit Murugan as there was no other person other than the driver accompanying him.
Seeing that the victim was still alive Raju rushed him to the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital 72 km away where he was informed that a ventilator facility would be available only after three hours. Murugan was then rushed to SUT Hospital and KIMS Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, but there too the victim was denied admission. Raju then rushed him to Azeezia Medical College Hospital in Kollam district, 70 km away, and there too the victim was denied admission. Then Raju thought of taking the victim to the Kollam Government District Hospital. But Murugan was declared dead-on-arrival there about 6 a.m. on Monday.