With no help in sight, man drags mentally challenged son in Victoria Hospital

75-year-old man had to drag his physically and mentally challenged son as a stretcher wasn't provided to him. He said he didn't know who to approach in Bengaluru's Victoria Hospital. Bystanders in the hospital's parking lot hailed an auto to drive them from the main block to the ENT section.

It was an incident that shocked many in Bengaluru’s state run Victoria Hospital. Bystanders watched in shock as 75-year-old man slapped and dragged his mentally challenged son from the hospital’s main block to the ENT section.

On June 6, 28-year-old Raju, a physically and mentally challenged son had to go to the hospital’s ENT section for a report. However, no stretcher or wheelchair was provided to him. His ageing father had to physically pull him as Raju couldn’t stand without support.

The scene which unfolded was heart breaking for those managing the parking lot. The few good samaritans, present at the scene hailed an auto and directed the driver to take the duo to the ENT section.

The senior citizen, no doubt thankful for the kind act, said he didn’t have enough money to travel in an auto. “Both of us have been surviving on a single meal daily for the past three days. I did not ask for a wheelchair and did not know who to approach for help,” The New Indian Express quoted him as saying.

Ironically, this incident took place on the same day when the state government was attacked for the dismal condition in state-run hospitals. Earlier, a woman in Shivamogga had to drag her husband to the X-ray room from the general ward in McGann hospital, a government run medical facility.

She said the hospital staff asked for Rs 50 bribe when she requested for a stretcher. The hospital’s superintendent TB Satyanarayana said they have suspended three nurses and an attended who refused to provide a stretcher for the patient.