Mediland Hospital Chaos: “2-Hour Treatment Delay” Alleged by Family, “Absolutely False” Says Management

Tension gripped the Itkhola area of Silchar on Monday (13 April) after the death of a 50-year-old patient, Raju Singh, at a private hospital led to protests, alleged vandalism, and a heavy police deployment. The situation later came under control, with authorities confirming that an investigation has been initiated into the incident.

The deceased was admitted to Mediland Hospital after he reportedly fell seriously ill. According to the family, they were asked to deposit around Rs 1 lakh before admission. The family claims they agreed under pressure as the patient’s condition was critical.

However, the family has alleged that despite payment arrangements, there was a delay in medical attention. They said no doctor attended the patient for nearly two hours after admission. The family further claimed that when a doctor finally arrived, the patient’s condition had already worsened, and he was declared dead shortly after treatment began.

A relative of the deceased said the patient had initially suggested going to the hospital after suddenly feeling unwell. “After reaching the hospital, we were asked to pay Rs 1 lakh for admission. We agreed. But no doctor came for a long time. By the time treatment started, he had died,” she alleged.

The patient’s son also raised concerns over the delay in treatment. “If they did not have doctors available, they should have told us. We could have taken him somewhere else. A doctor came after a long wait and later declared him dead,” he said.

Another family member alleged that such incidents were not new and claimed that the hospital had a pattern of demanding money before treatment and mismanagement in emergency cases.

Following the patient’s death, the situation escalated as a group of people gathered at the hospital, leading to protests and reported vandalism inside the premises. Police were soon deployed and managed to bring the situation under control.

An officer from Cachar Police said that law and order has been restored and an investigation has begun. “There appears to have been a misunderstanding between the hospital management and the patient’s family. We have asked the family to submit a written complaint. Based on that, a detailed investigation will be conducted,” the officer said.

Meanwhile, the hospital management has strongly denied the allegations. Speaking to Barak Bulletin, Dr Kishore Upadhyay of Mediland Hospital, said the claims regarding delay in treatment and demand of Rs 1 lakh were incorrect.

He stated that the Emergency Resident Medical Officer (RMO), attended the patient within a short time after arrival and denied any prolonged delay. He also denied the allegations of Rs 1 Lakh demand, according to him, the hospital follows a standard admission process where a security or token payment is taken, usually between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000, depending on the ward or ICU requirement, and this can be adjusted later.

He further added that even lower payments are accepted if patients are unable to pay immediately, and treatment is not withheld in emergency situations.

Dr Upadhyay also alleged that after the patient was declared dead, some individuals in the crowd became violent and damaged hospital property. He claimed that staff members, including nurses and doctors, were harassed during the incident.

He further alleged that some individuals appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, based on their behaviour. He also mentioned an incident where a person injured himself during the chaos and acted aggressively, making threatening statements, including claims of being an “avatar of Kali” and using the term “narsanghar,” referring to mass violence threats. These claims, however, remain allegations and have not been independently verified.

Police have confirmed that the situation is now under control and normalcy has returned to the area. Authorities said that all sides will be heard and appropriate action will follow once a formal complaint is filed.

The hospital management has stated that they will be lodging a formal complaint regarding the incident with the authorities. They added that they will fully cooperate with law enforcement and accept whatever findings and actions are decided through due process. The management also expressed confidence that the truth will eventually come out after a fair investigation. As the investigation continues, both the hospital and the family await clarity on what exactly transpired during the critical hours leading up to Raju Singh’s death.