Maharashtra police file case against Dean, doctors of Nanded hospital over death of 31 patients

The Dean and doctors of the Delivery Department of Dr Shankarrao Chavan Medical College and Hospital in the Nanded district which witnessed the deaths of 31 patients in 48 hours have been charged with ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ by the Maharashtra police.

The dean, Shyam Wakode, has been booked for the death of an infant and his mother after their kin registered a complaint in this regard.

At least 31 people died in the government-run Medical College and Hospital, reportedly due to an alleged scarcity of medicines.

A total of 24 patients, including newborns, were reported dead between September 30 and October 1 while seven more deaths were reported on Tuesday.

Relatives of the deceased patients have alleged that the deaths were caused by to shortage of medicines.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra’s Minister of Medical Education, Hasan Mushrif on Tuesday said a thorough investigation will be conducted into the deaths and a committee of doctors will be formed to conduct the probe.

Dean Wakode had previously rejected allegations of negligence against the hospital on Tuesday, claiming that deceased patients were suffering from different ailments such as diabetes, liver failure, and kidney failure.

The hospital also rejected allegations that it went short on medicines which eventually led to the death of the patients.

Wakode said that some of the patients were suffering from arsenic and phosphorus poisoning, snake bites etc.