Can the police enter a hospital to probe a case without informing the hospital superintendent?

The home and health departments on Tuesday debated the matter, as SSKM Hospital superintendent Santanu Tripathi took up the matter with the authorities concerned, after cops from Bhowanipore police station came calling at the Woodburn ward on Tuesday and allegedly misbehaved with nurses on duty.

Trouble broke out after family members of a 66-year-old woman, Shanti Bhanja, lodged a complaint with Bhowanipore police on Tuesday — that a handbag containing Rs 7,000 could not be found. Shanti was admitted to the hospital’s orthopaedic ward on December 24 with a hip-bone fracture. There was no bed and she was given “floor admission”. Her son, lawyer Tapas Kumar Bhanja, requested the hospital authorities to accommodate her elsewhere.

The authorities obliged and the woman was admitted to Woodburn ward. Her condition deteriorated and a medical board was formed to oversee her treatment. The board opined that she should be admitted to the intensive therapeutic unit. The unit was closed for repairs and Bhanja had to sign a “discharge under risk bond” and admit her elsewhere.

When Bhanja went to collect the treatment summary certificate, he could not find the bag. A police team rushed to the hospital around 2.30 pm and looked around Woodburn ward for the missing bag. They yelled at the nurses and one policeman allegedly abused them and threatened to return with women constables. The nurses rushed to the superintendent’s office and submitted a complaint.

Tripathi said he told the Bhowanipore police they could have sought his permission. But the police said they were free to enter the hospital, whenever. Tripathi informed the health department about the day’s development. Anuj Sharma, deputy commissioner of police (south division) asked the police to wait for Bhanja’s formal complaint before taking any action. Bhanja sent it in the evening. His mother was admitted to Balananda Brahmachari Hospital.