IMPHAL January 8: An angry mob led by family members of a patient damaged glass doors and other properties of the Advance Hospital and Research Centre, Palace Compound after the patient died just an hour after he was discharged from the hospital after surgery.
Police resorted to firing live bullets in the air to control the mob around 9 am and detained several angry locals.
The patient has been identified as Kshetrimayum Bhimo alias Heramani, 48 son of Ksh Inaobi of Top Khongangkhong.
Family members and locals demanded the doctor responsible for the death to be handed over to them; however, the hospital authorities were unavailable when media persons tried to meet them at the hospital premises.
Speaking to media persons, a family member said the patient was taken to JNIMS after complaining of pain in his abdomen on January 1.
After consulting with Dr Shyamchand at the hospital, and the carrying out of necessary examination, Bhimo was taken back home the same day, he continued.
However, Dr Shyamchand had told the patient party to admit Bhimo at the Advance Hospital for an operation to remove a stone from the gall-bladder, citing that there is no proper equipment to perform the operation at JNIMS.
As referred by the doctor, Bhimo was admitted at the private clinic on January 6 around 10 am, and the operation was conducted at around 4.30 pm, he continued.
Bhimo was discharged from the clinic today morning around 8 am, and the family took him back, the family member said.
However, soon after reaching his residence, Bhimo fainted and fell unconscious soon after, he alleged.
Bhimo was rushed back to the ICU of the clinic, he said while lamenting that when the family members asked for Dr Shyamchand, none of the hospital authorities or attendants seem to know the whereabout of the doctor.
Soon after, Bhimo was declared dead.
The body has been deposited at the JNIMS morgue for post mortem today around 1:30 pm.
Angered by the death, locals and family members stormed the hospital and started breaking the windows and doors of the hospital, demanding the hospital authorities to bring out the doctor who conducted the gall-bladder operation and give befitting punishment for doctor Shyamchand.
Later a team of police fired several rounds of live bullets in the air to control the angry locals and detained some persons who were involved in damaging the hospital.
Meanwhile, a statement made available to the media houses late night has said that the relatives of the deceased and authorities of Advance Speciality Hospital & Research Institute, Palace Compound had thoroughly discussed the matter that had arose following the death.
The statement signed by Kshetrimayum Ratan Meitei identified as the younger brother of the deceased and Dr Th Ibomcha Singh, on behalf of managing director, Advance Speciality Hospital & Research Institute has said that it has been agreed by both parties that the misunderstanding has been cleared and any form of agitation by the relatives of the victim and the JAC shall be withdrawn.