27-year-old in coma bitten by rat in Mumbai hospital, says family; hospital denies allegation

The civic hospital has denied allegations, said doctor has ruled out bite marks that could indicate that patient was bitten by a rat

The family of a 27-year-old comatose patient, who is admitted to the Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Municipal Hospital, Jogeshwari, has alleged that he was bitten by a rat, near his eye, in the hospital’s general ward.

Hospital officials said that the patient was originally in the ICU, but was shifted to the general ward for two days due to maintenance work of the ICU room. (HT File/Representational Image)

The hospital denied the allegations and said that the ophthalmology department and the doctor treating the patient – Parminder Gupta – have ruled out bite marks that could indicate that he was bitten by a rat.

Parminder has been in coma for over two months after he underwent a brain surgery at a private local hospital. He was shifted to the Jogeshwari-based hospital on April 14 as his family could not afford the treatment at the private hospital.

Gupta’s father Ram said that on Monday morning, he was sitting near Parminder’s bed, when he saw a rat near the bed.

“I shooed the rat away twice, but after a while, I could not stay awake due to the overnight watch over my son and fell asleep for a minute. Within that time, the rat came and bit him inside the eye,” said Ram.

Hospital officials said that the patient was originally in the ICU, but was shifted to the general ward for two days due to maintenance work of the ICU room.

“We have taken special ophthalmology opinion and I saw the patient personally. There is no injury or bite mark anywhere on the patient’s body, let alone the eye. All health parameters are also normal and the allegation is completely baseless,” said Dr H Bhava, medical superintendent.