Guards of RIMS, Ranchi, are turning rogue by the day.

A fortnight ago, one was caught red-handed misbehaving with women. On Monday night, another bullied and beat up sleeping relatives of patients, his stage for maltreatment being the same - the surgery ward of RIMS.

Security guard Balmiki Pandit kicked people to wake them up and whipped some with his belt when they were too groggy to clear the corridor outside the ward quickly. He didn't bother to check if any of these people had passes, which entitle them to night stay on the hospital premises.

Following crowd management orders from chief minister Raghubar Das, director Dr B.L. Sherwal recently asked guards not to allow relatives to stay with patients without valid passes, which RIMS issues up to two persons. Other relatives can hire a bed for Rs 150 a night at the state-run rayen basera (shelter) nearby or make their own arrangements outside the premises.

Lakhan Gope, an Indian Army sepoy and Chanho resident whose father Baidnath is admitted to RIMS since April 17, said Pandit blatantly violated RIMS rules, not to mention human rights.

"Around 12-15 of us were resting along the surgery corridor, because we didn't wish to disturb our respective patients at night, when the guard came and started kicking us. Not willing to kick up a ruckus and despite having a pass, I rolled in my bed and collected my belongings. As I trundled down the stairway, the guard pushed me so hard that I almost fell," Lakhan recalled.

Instinctively, the sepoy tried to hold Pandit to gain foothold on the stairs. "At this, the furious guard opened his belt and starting hitting me. He whipped everyone who tried to stop him," Lakhan said.

On Tuesday morning, the sepoy went to Bariatu police station with a friend and lodged an FIR against Pandit. "I wanted to complain to the RIMS director first, but he is on leave. So, I went to police who conducted an inquiry on the basis of my complaint," he added.

Dr S.K. Choudhary, medical superintendent of RIMS, refused to comment. Insiders claimed that Choudhary never bothered to resolve problems concerning patients and their relatives.

A senior doctor of the surgery department, on the condition of anonymity, said he would take up the matter with director Sherwal on his return and request remedial measures to end day-to-day brawls at the hospital, "which is left unattended by Dr Choudhary" despite management being one of his responsibilities.

Dr Raghunath, medical officer at RIMS, too promised to broach the issue of guards misbehaving with patients' kin with the director.

On April 12, a hospital guard had been caught harassing women attendants of patients in the surgery ward. He was later handed over to police.

"I do not know what exactly happened on Monday night. I will find out and report the matter to the director," the medical officer said.