Liver cancer patient found dead with throat slit in SGPGI ward

Lucknow: A 61-year-old liver cancer patient undergoing treatment at SGPGIMS was found dead with his throat slit inside the liver transplant unit ward early Monday.

Additional DCP, south zone, Vasanth Kumar said, “The patient, Mushtaq Ali of Basti district, was admitted to LTU on April 21 and was undergoing treatment for advanced-stage liver cancer under the gastroenterology department.”

“Around 4.30 am, the patient’s brother noticed blood oozing out from Ali’s neck and alerted hospital staff and the police. A blood-stained surgical blade was recovered near the body,” he said.

Kumar said the police received an official memo from the hospital around 5.45 am, following which police teams, forensic experts and the dog squad reached the spot.

“Preliminary investigation suggests the patient was suffering from liver cancer for the past 8-9 months and was facing financial distress. All possible angles, including suicide and homicide, are being examined,” the ADCP added.

Ali’s brother, Mukhtar Ali, informed the police that he neither heard any scream nor noticed any unusual movement during the night.

Police said there were no CCTV cameras in the ward, though footage from corridors and nearby areas is being scanned to reconstruct the sequence of events.

“The body has been sent for post-mortem, and legal action would be taken based on medical and forensic findings,” the ADCP added.

“Prima facie, it appears to be a suicide as the blade he got to shave was found near the bed,” Kumar said.

Ali was admitted to gastro surgery ward on April 21 under Dr Ashish Singh as a follow-up case of advanced adenocarcinoma of the gall bladder.

SGPGI director Prof RK Dhiman said that the patient was stable and interacting normally with staff on Saturday night. However, early Sunday morning, nursing staff found him unresponsive with a deep cut on the right side of his neck.

Doctors performed CPR for 15 minutes, but the patient could not be revived.

“We have not received any complaint from the family. The patient’s daughter said that his uncle was the one who took care of her father all these months. The matter is being probed from all possible angles,” the ADCP added.

SGPGI doctors said the patient’s condition was critical.