Mumbai: ‘Mother trusted BMC hospital so much, she refused treatment anywhere else’

Rubeda Khatun Gulab Sheikh 60 who died after being run over by Dr Rajesh Derersquos car within the Sion hospital premises had travelled from Mumbra to seek treatment because she trusted the doctors there ldquoWe had first sought treatment at a private clinic in Mumbra The doctor there had suggested Sion hospital and ever since my mother had been refusing treatment anywhere else but at Sion hospitalrdquo said her daughter Musarar Sheikh The family has a history of treatment at BMCrun facilities Musarar herself was hospitalised at Nair hospital for another ailment She was discharged on Saturday the day the family found out Rubeda was no moreRubeda along with her husbandThe patriarch of the family Rubedarsquos husband has a medical condition in which his hands do not work He works as a security guard in residential area in south Mumbai The couple has four children and three grandchildren The family used to live in Bandra East and it had been just two months since they moved into their new house in Mumbra which Rubedarsquos oldest son had purchased ldquoI knew her for a very short time but she was just so kind I am a working woman and I used to like talking to her now and then after coming back from workrdquo said the familyrsquos immediate neighbour in MumbraPolice escort Dr Rajesh Dhere after he was released on bail PicAtul KambleThe victimrsquos 24yearold son Sarfaraz said ldquoShe had diabetes and there was some kind of infection on her hand but nothing else She was doing alrightrdquo The family was told she had fainted due to ill health within the hospital compound when minutes later Dr Derersquos car ran over her Earlier Sion hospitalrsquos dean Dr Mohan Joshi had told midday that Rubeda had died of a heart attack However her postmortem report shows ldquoevidence of bilateral hemothoraxrdquo meaning there was blood in the pleural cavities on both sides of the chest These cavities are spaces between the lungs and the chest A heavy presence of blood there which is commonly the result of trauma or injury can result in death within minutesDr Rajesh Dere the accusedldquoI could feel that her chest bone had fractured while cleaning her body before she was taken for burial We thought we had a lifetime left with our mother She was supposed to see my children grow My mother did not like closed spaces or heat now she will be in a coffinrdquo Musarar said Rubedarsquos body rests at a cemetery in BandraA top BMC official had earlier said the dean of the hospital was trying to sweep the issue under the carpet ldquoThe hospital first told us our mother met with an accident When we asked more questions they told us the accident happened outside the hospital premises They lied to usrdquo said Rizwana Musararrsquos friend who had visited the hospital along with Rubedarsquos oldest son ShahnawazDr Rajesh Derersquos black harrier before running over the victimThe police have said that the hospital has not been forthcoming and Dr Dere even tried to suppress information He has been charged with providing misleading statements to the police apart from Section 304 causing death due to negligence Sion police stationrsquos Senior PI Manisha Shirke said ldquoAs of now there are no plans to take action against anybody else from the hospitalrdquoDr Dere back at workOn Monday after being granted bail by Dadarrsquos Shindewadi court Dr Dere was spotted back at work The family fears they will be denied justice ldquoWe do not want anything That man is now out on bail and we think he will be let off easily because he has the moneyrdquo Musarar saidBMC Bhushan Gagrani said ldquoThe police are taking action and the court has granted him bailrdquo He added ldquoWhat is the role of the administration when it is already a police matter I do not understand why the BMC is being dragged into thisrdquoRegarding the suspension of hospital staff Gagrani stated ldquoThe investigation may take a year two years or more So what exactly is expected The law will take its own course We are not saying no to any police or court actionrdquo Dean of Sion hospital Dr Mohan Joshi was unavailable for comment