The police on Friday arrested the Grade IV employee who allegedly refused oxygen to a boy unless bribed, leading to the patient’s death at Patna Medical College and Hospital.
Subhash Prasad from Ashok Rajpath was arrested on his way to the hospital.
Nine-year-old Roshan Kumar, who was suffering from septicaemia and some neurological problems, allegedly died for want of oxygen on Wednesday night. His father Surendra Saw alleged that Prasad had asked him for a bribe to replace the oxygen cylinder when it got exhausted.
“An FIR was lodged against Subhash last night. He was arrested under Section 304 of Indian Penal Code (IPC),” Pirbahore police station house officer (SHO) Nisar Ahmed said.
Ahmed said the victim’s father named Subhash and some “unknown” accused in his FIR. Surendra Saw told The Telegraph that some junior doctors and nurse was present when his son was in need of oxygen but they did not offer any help. So he has made them unknown accused in his FIR. “I am very happy that the Grade IV employee, directly responsible for my son’s death, has been arrested. But I also want other people who did not help though they were supposed to, to be caught.”
Section 304 of IPC deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. If proved guilty, one can be imprisoned for up to 10 years. “A probe would be initiated to find out the other accused,” Pirbahore SHO Ahmed said.
PMCH deputy superintendent Sudhanshu Singh said Subhash was suspended. The hospital has set up a three-member panel to probe the issue. The health department has ordered a separate probe. Director-in-chief, health, Surendra Prasad reached the hospital on Friday. “The director-in-chief has taken down details from the hospital,” the deputy superintendent said.
Sources said the hospital administration could not provide CCTV footage to the police. It would have helped establish whether the junior doctors and nurse, indeed, took no steps to help the child. PMCH deputy superintendent Sudhanshu said: “We asked the technician for the footage but he said it crashed early on Friday. We are trying to retrieve it.”
