Patna Medical College and Hospital. Telegraph picture

Patna, Oct. 13: Patna Medical College and Hospital does not have any facility for female prisoners.

Though there is a separate ward to lodge male prisoners who may need medical care, there is no such provision for female prisoners at the premier hospital.

The lack of facilities has turned into a virtual curse for two women constables from Sitamarhi, who have accompanied murder convict Indu Devi to the premier hospital. However, without proper provisions, the two constables are being forced to stay on the road.

Indu, serving a life sentence for murdering her husband, is suffering from various ailments like kidney failure, stomach infection, hypertension and depression.

A doctor said it is difficult to predict when she will be discharged. She is lodged in the Tata ward.

Radhika Devi and Devmati Kaji, the two constables who have accompanied her, are not allowed to leave the hospital premises, even though there is no place for them to stay.

Devi said: “There are no arrangements for us here and we have been given no allowance. This is the worst posting I have been given since I joined the police.”

Devi also said: “Two male colleagues were sent to accompany us. One of them joined us three days ago, the other has not yet reported for duty. We have to spend the night in the open. We are praying to god that this ordeal gets over soon.”

The constables must constantly watch over their ward for if she escapes, they will be taken to task.

Devi said: “We should have at least been allowed to stay at a hostel so that we could watch over Indu in turns.” Kaji said: “Most of the nights we hardly get any sleep at all. With so many people moving around and so many urchins, we hardly feel safe. We have written so many letters to our seniors requesting them make some arrangements for us but to no avail.”

Patna Medical College and Hospital R.K. Singh said: “In the ward reserved for prisoners, there are 10 beds, all of which are occupied now.”

Singh said the constrables escorting Devi could not be allowed to stay in the Even if a bed was free, we could not allot it to a female patient because of security reasons. The escorts are suffering because of the lack of facilities.”

A senior police officer of Sitamarhi said the constables would be given their allowance when they return.

He said: “As far as I know, escorts of prisoners are given a place to stay at the hospital. If the constables incur any expenditure in the course of their duty, they shall be reimbursed.”