Ayurvedic college student falls to his death, negligence alleged in treatment

According to a student, Kale, who stayed at the hostel in the hospital complex, had gone out for a walk after dinner. He climbed a mango tree to pick mangoes, but lost his balance and fell to the ground. Students who were playing nearby took him to the casualty department of the hospital but allege that there was no resident medical officer or chief medical officer present. “Some senior students tried to give him first aid,” said a student. “There was an oxygen cylinder but without the mask. It was a big problem for us.”

Mumbai: In a tragic incident, Dayanand Kale, a 22-year-old ayurvedic medicine student, lost his life after falling from a mango tree on Wednesday night at R A Podar Ayurved Medical College, Worli. The student union claimed that despite being in a hospital, there were no basic facilities available to treat Kale, which led to his death.

Mumbai, India - April 27, 2023: Angry medical students stage a protest as their 22-year-old colleague Dayanand Kale died after falling from a tree inside Podar Ayurved Medical College on Wednesday night. Though he was rushed immediately to the hospital, students allege negligence of the hospital administration and not getting timely treatment, at Worli, in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, April 27, 2023. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

The students staged a protest on Thursday morning by closing the OPD and demanded that the hospital administration show promptness in getting injured students treatment.

Kale, who hailed from Saman village in Bhum taluka of Dharashiv district, was in the third year of the Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) course at the college. His parents are agricultural labourers on a sugarcane farm, and he was the only son after six daughters. One of his six sisters passed away recently, and now with the loss of their son, his parents Gayas and Jayashree are inconsolable.

“We have lost our child,” said Dayanand’s uncle, Bayas Kale. “He was the hope of our family and our community. As he was academics-oriented, we put him through his education by borrowing money from other relatives.”

According to a student, Kale, who stayed at the hostel in the hospital complex, had gone out for a walk after dinner. He climbed a mango tree to pick mangoes, but lost his balance and fell to the ground. Students who were playing nearby took him to the casualty department of the hospital but allege that there was no resident medical officer or chief medical officer present. “Some senior students tried to give him first aid,” said a student. “There was an oxygen cylinder but without the mask. It was a big problem for us.”

The students alleged that despite calling seniors for information, they did not receive any positive response. Kale failed to get treatment on time, and was declared Brought Dead after being taken to Nair Hospital for further treatment. Due to the unavailability of an ambulance driver, he had to be taken by taxi. “If students who are pursuing medical education are unable to receive proper treatment in our hospital, how can citizens be saved?” asked a student.

After the tragedy, students wrote a letter to the college administration, demanding action against all those responsible for Kale’s death as well as a guarantee that basic casualty facilities would be available in the hospital henceforth.

Local MLA Sunil Shinde was present at the dean’s office with the family. The Chhatra Bharti Students Association protested and demanded an inquiry into the matter. The police detained five students from the union but they were later released after the intervention of MLC Kapil Patil.

When contacted, college dean Dr Sampada Sant denied the allegations. “Kale’s nose started bleeding after falling from the tree, and he was brought to the casualty department,” she said. “He was immediately given first aid and shifted to Nair Hospital within five to seven minutes. We have all the facilities here, and there was no negligence in treating him. The ambulance could not be provided as the night shift driver was sick and did not come to work.”

In response to the allegations made by the students, the CCTV footage in the area was checked, and the Director of Ayurved, Maharashtra state, instructed a high-level committee to investigate the matter. Sant said the committee’s report was likely to be submitted in 10 days.

Amar Jagdale, police inspector, Worli police said that an ADR (Accidental Death Report) had been registered in the case. “We detained some student union representatives as a precautionary measure but released them after some time,” he said.