Patient restrained at psychiatric facility dies in hospital fire

Hisar: A patient admitted at a private psychiatric facility in Hisar died in a fire reported after an explosion on Tuesday night, police said on Wednesday. Amit Wadhwa (45), was a resident of Housing Board Colony here, was undergoing treatment for depression. A case has been registered against Parivartan Hospital director Dr Karanjit and its staff on the complaint filed by Amit’s son Dhruv Wadhwa under sections 304-A (causing death by negligence) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.Dhruv said his father used to work as a data entry operator on contractual basis at the income tax department office in Hisar. “He was admitted to Parivartan Hospital on August 20. He was in a room on the second floor of the hospital. On August 22, at 11.30pm, hospital staff, after consulting Dr Karanjit, tied my father to a pipe attached to his bed. They later told me that he has been given sleeping pills,” he told the police. “There was an explosion around 1.30am and I ran upstairs. I saw that my father’s room was on fire. A person accompanying another patient took out a fire extinguisher, but it did not work. When the flames were doused, I found my father dead and his body restrained,” Dhruv stated in his complaint. Investigating officer ASI Subhash said a forensic team was called to investigate the cause of fire. He also confirmed that the victim was tied to a bed. Dr Karanjit refused to make a comment, saying all documents of the hospital have been given to the investigating agencies. Civil surgeon Dr Ratna Bharti also refused to comment, saying an inquiry report was awaited. A psychiatrist said that in some circumstances, a patient can be physically restrained for treatment, but only after getting permission from the family. The licence of Parivartan Hospital, a registered psychiatric nursing home, was valid till June 18 this year. However, neither the civil surgeon nor hospital director commented on this. As per the provisions of Mental Health Care Act, 2017, a person who is placed under restraint shall be kept in a place where he can cause no harm to himself or others and under regular supervision of the medical personnel at the mental health establishment, said advocate Manmohan Rai.
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