A patient admitted to the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Kankerbagh went missing early on Wednesday morning.

Thirty-two-year-old Babloo Singh, alias Vinod, was referred to Shri Sai Hospital after he met with an accident in Motihari, around 160km north of the capital, on Tuesday. He could not control his motorcycle when a nilgai suddenly came before him. The animal ran, hitting Babloo in the face and damaging it.

Admitted to the hospital by his three brothers around 8pm, Babloo, a resident of Savrahan village in Motihari, East Champaran, was transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) at 1.30am when his condition turned critical. Around 4am, he went missing with police not able to trace him.

“Things are not clear and we are investigating the matter. According to his family members, the man was on his bike when he had an accident near Chapwa Mor in Motihari last evening (Tuesday). A nilgai suddenly came before him and he couldn’t control his motorcycle and fell down. The animal hit him in the face, damaging a part of it,” a police officer told The Telegraph.

He was taken to a private clinic in Motihari from where he was referred to Patna.

Deputy superintendent of police (sadar) Mutaffiq Ahmed said: “Around 1am today (Wednesday), he was transferred to the ICU of the hospital. He went missing from his bed around 4am and his family members came to know about it two hours later. The hospital informed the police in the morning and lodged a missing diary. The family members lodged another missing diary in the evening but they have not accused the hospital.”

While neither the family nor the hospital authorities gave any comment, the police are keeping all options open in their investigation.

“The man was critical but in a stable condition. The hospital authorities told us that his face was damaged but he could walk. He might have slipped out of the hospital by himself or the hospital could be involved and something might have happened to him. The police, however, have no evidence yet that point at the hospital’s involvement.”

Sources said Babloo is named in some criminal cases back home in Motihari. “The man has a criminal history and his antecedents are being verified. The man could have run away. Investigations are on,” another police officer said.