Srinagar, Jan 8: Taking suo-moto cognizance after the death of an infant at maternity hospital Lal Ded here in Kashmir capital Srinagar, Police on Saturday arrested two female private security guards.
The accused security guards had allegedly stopped a family from North Kashmir’s Kupwara district carrying an ailing infant from meeting a doctor at neonate ward of the hospital seeking bribe (chai-pani) from them.
The incident occurred four days ago in the hospital.
Police today took the suo-moto cognizance and arrested both the female security guards.
Confirming the incident, SHO Police Station, Raj Bagh, Muhammad Ishaq told news agency Kashmir News Trust that a family from Kupwara district carrying an ailing infant was supposed to consult a doctor inside the neonate ward of the hospital when two female security guards stopped them seeking ‘nazrana’ (bribe). “The family offered whatever was possible but the greedy guards demanded more and more, thus causing unnecessary delay that led to the death of the infant,” Station House Officer, Muhammad Ishaq said.
“Both the female security guards have been arrested and an FIR vide number 01/2022 under section 304 stands registered against them,” he said.
Pertinently, the practice of ‘chai-pani’-a word for corruption is prevalent at the LD Hospital. Since it is a maternity hospital where women give birth to new born, some employees find it convenient to force family members to grease their palms.
As per attendants a newborn is not handed over to the family until they pay. (KNT)
