Plea in Delhi HC over denial of treatment to man who succumbed to injuries after jumping off police van
New Delhi: A plea has been filed in the Delhi High Court, drawing attention to a recent tragic incident where a man, who jumped out of a moving police van, lost his life as government hospitals in the national capital allegedly denied him treatment.
An official said that the injured man was transferred from one hospital to another, where the unavailability of beds or equipment ultimately contributed to his death.
The entire incident unfolded on Tuesday night when a police control room (PCR) call was received around 9 p.m. from a woman reporting a man in an inebriated condition engaged in a quarrel in northeast Delhi’s New Usmanpur area.
The 47-year-old patient, Pramod, reportedly died after being denied admission by Jag Pravesh Chandra (JPC) Hospital, Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital, and Lok Nayak Hospital (LNJP).
A police team had promptly arrived at the scene where caller Kajal was present. She alleged that Parmod (47), a resident of the same locality, had molested and abused her,” said the Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast) Joy Tirkey.
The Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) staff was transporting them to the New Usmanpur police station.
“However, when they were nearing the police station, an inebriated and vomiting Pramod opened the glass window and jumped off the vehicle, landing on the road. He was immediately transported to the JPC Hospital,” said the DCP.
Injured Pramod was transferred to GTB Hospital by B-30 Ambulance, but due to the unavailability of a CT-Scan, admission was not possible.
“Consequently, he was referred to the LNJP Hospital. Unfortunately, due to a lack of beds in the ICU Ventilator, admission at LNJP Hospital was also not feasible,” said the DCP.
The injured was then taken to RML Hospital, where admission was denied by the hospital authorities.
“Subsequently, the injured was brought back to JPC Hospital, where he was declared dead at 5.45 a.m.,” said the DCP.
The plea alleges criminal negligence on the part of these government hospitals, either run by the Delhi or Central government, contributing to Pramod’s tragic demise.
It contends that if the patient had been admitted and provided with proper treatment, his life might have been saved.
Scheduled for a hearing on January 8, the petition seeks a direction for the Central and Delhi government to investigate the matter, submit a report to the court, and pursue punishment for individuals or authorities responsible for the alleged criminal negligence.
In connection with the incident, a case under sections 354, 354A, 506, 509, 323 IPC was registered.
Notably, Pramod was previously involved in two criminal cases, including attempted murder.
This plea is part of an ongoing matter where the Delhi High Court previously took suo moto cognisance of a news report detailing the death of a newborn due to the unavailability of an ICU bed in a Government Hospital.