Patient Allegedly Beaten To Death In UP Hospital For Not Paying "Entry Fee": Report

A 44-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death by some staff of a private hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh for "not paying Rs 4,000 entry fee", his family alleged today.

Police said they have received CCTV footage of the alleged attack and registered an FIR.

The incident took place on Thursday when Sultan Khan was taken to the hospital at Dhorra bypass Road in Aligarh's Kuwarsi area with acute abdominal pain, the family said.

Sultan Khan's relative Chaman Khan said the hospital advised them to get an ultrasound done.

"At the time of admission, we inquired about the cost of the ultrasound examination. We were told that it would be Rs 4,500. We could not afford it, so we decided not to get our patient admitted," he told news agency Press Trust of India.

In the meanwhile, the hospital gave Sultan Khan some medicines, he said.

"Accordingly, we paid for the medicines but objected to a charge of Rs 4,000 which the clerk at the counter said was entry fees," he alleged.

A copy of the bill shows they were charged just above Rs 3,700 for medicines.

"As the family was moving out of the hospital premises without getting the ultrasound done, some hospital staff attacked us with wooden sticks. Sultan received a blow on his head and died shortly after," Chaman Khan claimed.

According to news agency PTI, Superintendent of Police (Aligarh) Abhishek said since the family could not bear the expenses quoted by the hospital, it decided not to get the patient admitted.

"There was some dispute between the family and the hospital staff over some payments. His families have alleged that the patient died in the fight that ensued. The body has been sent for post-mortem," he said.

"Further action will be taken after post-mortem report is received," he said.

Sultan Khan's relative said that they had first taken him to the government-run JN Medical College, but were informed that he could only be admitted after a coronavirus test as a section of the facility is dedicated for COVID-19 patients.

But the family said they took him to the private hospital as his urinary passage was blocked.

A statement from the hospital is awaited.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)