Mumbai: Sion hospital doctor leaves bullet in body

A trial last week in an attempt to murder case has brought to light medical negligence at Sion hospital five years ago — a doctor at the hospital failed to spot a bullet in the stomach of his patient

A trial last week in an attempt to murder case has brought to light medical negligence at Sion hospital five years ago — a doctor at the hospital failed to spot a bullet in the stomach of his patient. The patient had the bullet removed at a private hospital later and survived.

The Chembur resident, whose identity has been kept secret owing to threats from the underworld, was shot by gangster Ganesh Shinde on September 14, 2011.

The Chembur resident, whose identity has been kept secret owing to threats from the underworld, was shot by gangster Ganesh Shinde on September 14, 2011, after he refused to pay an extortion amount. He was taken to Sion hospital immediately, where Dr Sudatta Waghmare treated him.

At last week’s trial, Dr Waghmare was called in as a witness by the prosecution to prove the victim was grievously injured by the bullet and could have died. When public prosecutor Jyoti Sawant questioned Waghmare, he told the court the victim was brought to hospital by his brother and had a gun shot injury on the right side of the abdomen. When Waghmare was later cross-examined by defense lawyer Mahesh Muley, he admitted he had not found the bullet. Waghmare also admitted to not doing an X-ray of the patient before surgery. Waghmare, however, alleged the victim’s family had him discharged against advice.

“There was also a mid­line scar of recent surgery. I found a bullet in the back,” Kulkarni said when he was examined by the prosecution.

During cross-examination by Muley, Kulkarni said, “It is true that during the surgery at Sion hospital, the bullet from the body of the victim was not removed. It is true that Sion hospital could have removed the bullet...” Kulkarni said the victim was discharged after nine days.

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