34-Year-Old Patient Loses Life In Bengaluru's M S Ramaiah Hospital Fire, FIR Filed

In a tragic turn of events following a fire at M S Ramaiah Hospital in Bengaluru on Thursday afternoon, a 34-year-old patient has died in the Critical Care Unit (CCU), police confirmed.

The patient, identified as Panicker Sujay Sujathan, had been admitted on September 1 for pneumonia, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), and H1N1 treatment, according to a report by the Deccan Herald. His wife, Rohini Jayan, has accused the hospital of negligence, alleging that the fire was a result of poor safety measures. She has filed a police complaint, demanding action against the hospital management. In response, the Sadashivanagar police have registered an FIR under Section 106 for causing death due to negligence.

The fire reportedly started due to an electrical short circuit in the CCU around 1 pm. Hospital staff evacuated three patients and alerted the fire department. While two patients were reported to be stable, Sujay's wife was informed of his death at 4:30 pm, as per the report.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Shekhar H Tekkannavar confirmed Sujay's death to the media. Rohini, in her complaint, expressed her devastation and insisted her husband was recovering until she received the heartbreaking news.

Rohini criticized the hospital for not holding anyone accountable for the fire, stating that they initially informed her that her husband's death was due to natural causes. Sunoj VV, president of the Bengaluru Malayali Club, echoed her concerns, pointing out that Sujay had died around 2 pm, yet the hospital delayed disclosing the truth.

Sujay's brother, Sujin, added that his brother had been one of the last patients to be evacuated and had been showing signs of improvement. According to an officer from Sadashivanagar police station, the fire originated from an air conditioner and spread through the ceiling. Two fire tenders were dispatched, and the blaze was brought under control within an hour.