Bhubaneswar hospital declares man dead in AC blast, prompting wife's suicide; later confirms he's alive
The article narrates the heart-wrenching story of a young wife's tragic suicide following a Bhubaneswar hospital's mistaken identity, where her husband was presumed dead after an AC explosion.
FollowIn a heart-wrenching turn of events in the Odisha capital, Bhubaneswar, a hospital's mistaken identity has left families devastated, triggering protests and accusations of negligence. The incident revolves around a workplace accident involving an AC explosion at Hi-Tech Hospital that has left families mourning and questioning the hospital's procedures.
The ordeal began on December 29 when AC technicians Jyotiranjan, Dilip, and Simanchal were servicing ACs at the hospital. A sudden explosion occurred, causing severe burns to all three technicians. Tragically, on December 30, the hospital pronounced Jyotiranjan dead, allegedly misidentifying him. The confusion deepened when, on January 3, another technician, Sritam, succumbed to his injuries, adding to the families' anguish.
The most harrowing consequence of this mix-up was the death of Sona (24), Dilip's distraught wife, who took her own life on New Year's Day, a day after cremating what she believed to be her husband's body. The hospital's belated clarification on Friday revealed that Dilip is alive and recuperating from burns in the same hospital.
The revelation sparked outrage and protest outside the hospital, with Sona's uncle, Rabindra Jena, expressing the shattered state of their family. The news of the mistaken identity leading to Sona's suicide has left a community grieving and questioning the hospital's role in the tragic events.
Adding to the anguish is the inconsolable grief of Jyotiranjan's family, who had believed he was alive and had not even been able to perform his last rites. Jyotiranjan's wife, Arpita Mukhi, lamented, "I want my husband back. I failed to recognise him during treatment because of his severe burns."
The hospital's CEO, Smita Padhi, denied negligence, attributing the mistaken identity to the private firm that had engaged the technicians for AC repairs. Padhi asserted that each technician was identified by a contractor linked to the firm during their admission for treatment after the explosion.
"We didn't commit the mistake. The technicians were engaged by a private firm to repair ACs. While being admitted for treatment after the explosion, each one of them was identified by a contractor linked to the firm," the hospital's CEO Smita Padhi said. "We followed all legal and medical procedures. Cops handed over the body to the kin. Nobody from the family reported that the body was not of Dilip."
Despite Padhi's claims, the families are left grappling with the profound impact of the hospital's error. The tragedy underscores the need for stringent protocols in patient identification and communication during critical situations, and it has ignited a broader conversation about accountability in medical procedures.
As investigations unfold and the community seeks answers, the incident stands as a stark reminder of the human toll when hospitals falter in their responsibilities, leaving families shattered and communities in mourning.
