ICU patient found dead on hospital verandah in Nalbari; FIR against 8 staff

Guwahati: A 66-year-old ICU patient at Nalbari Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) was found dead on a hospital verandah on Wednesday morning, prompting allegations of negligence from his family and lodging of an FIR against eight on-duty staff.

The patient, Keshab Malakar of Puspakpur in Nalbari town, had been admitted to the general ICU a few days earlier with a lung infection and low oxygen saturation, hospital sources said. Doctors said his condition had slightly improved and he was expected to be shifted out of the ICU on Wednesday.


Family members alleged “sheer negligence” by security guards and nurses and demanded a thorough probe. A relative said the family was first informed at night that Malakar was missing from his ICU bed.

NMCH authorities lodged an FIR at Ghagrapar police station against eight staff members, including one doctor, two ward boys and five nurses, officials said.

“We lodged an FIR against the on-duty ICU staff who were responsible for looking after the patients. A police probe will hopefully unearth how the incident happened,” NMCH superintendent Madhab Rajbongshi told TOI.

Police reached the hospital and began investigating with the help of CCTV footage. The Nalbari district administration also ordered a magisterial inquiry.

A police source said investigators were examining whether Malakar left through an ICU door or whether “something else happened.” Doctors said the patient was able to walk despite being under ICU care.

The ICU is on the sixth floor, while Malakar’s body was found on the verandah of the fourth floor, hospital sources said. On Tuesday night, 26 patients were admitted to the general ICU, according to doctors. Hospital sources said the on-duty nurses were trained in critical care and were expected to be present in the ICU.

A post-mortem was conducted, and doctors reported preliminary findings of abdominal and chest injuries and bone fractures.