Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh): A-63-year-old man who had gone "missing" from the Vijayawada Government Hospital on June 24 was found dead on Friday in the same hospital, police said.
Vijayawada one town police station inspector P Venkateswarlu said: "Vasanta Rao was brought to the hospital on June 24. His condition was not good. So hospital personnel took him for treatment immediately, without taking his details properly. While undergoing treatment, he breathed his last. The hospital staff did not find any attendant and sent the body to the mortuary."
The inspector said that since the details were not recorded it was difficult for the hospital staff to identify the person.
"The police plunged into action and found the old person being taken into the hospital in the CCTV footage. They searched every nook and corner of the hospital and at last identified the body in the mortuary as that of the missing Vasanta Rao," the inspector said.
The police said that the hospital staff admitted Vasanta Rao without taking details as his condition was critical. Though his wife Dhanalakshmi has been trying to locate her husband since June 24 evening, she could not go into the hospital and hence hospital authorities could not identify him all these days.
The police said that the deceased had tested corona negative and his body was handed over to his family.
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Earlier today, according to Dhanalakshmi, Vasanta Rao was suffering from asthma, hiccups and weakness was taken to the new government hospital where two women took Rao inside the hospital in a wheelchair, saying his pulse was dropping.
Dhanalakshmi had said, "On 24th June, my husband was suffering from asthmatic conditions, hiccups and general weakness. As he was not ready to go to the hospital, we took him to a family friend. He suggested us to go to the government hospital. Following that we went to new government hospital where we registered his name in OP."
"As my husband was feeling weak, I made him sit nearby and gave his details for the registration. For registration, they were asking for Aadhar number, which I did not carry that day. So, I requested them to submit the same on the next day and they accepted it," she had said.
"Meanwhile, two women came from inside and took my husband inside in a wheelchair. When asked where they were taking him, they said that his pulse was dropping and he should be given oxygen immediately. I asked to accompany him but they did not allow me. I decided to wait outside for some time. But when a few hours had passed I checked with the staff but they did not give me any information. At around 5 pm, they asked me to go home and bring the Aadhar card the next day," she had said.
"On June 25, I went to the hospital with the Aadhar card but he was not there at all. I searched for him in the entire hospital till 8 pm and I could not find him. I again went to the hospital on June 26," she had added.
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When Dhanalakshmi asked Hospital superintendent Sobha about his missing husband, she said that they were also searching for him.
Vijayawada one town police station inspector P Venkateswarlu had told ANI over the phone, "We registered a missing report of Vasanta Rao on June 29. We had checked and verified the CCTV footage of the hospital. It is recorded in CCTV footage that he was being taken in a wheelchair. But there is no record about his discharge from the hospital nor he is found anywhere in the hospital. We are trying to inquire about the hospital staff in this regard."
With inputs from ANI
