Rourkela witnessed tense scenes on Thursday after the death of a 24-year-old youth at Apollo Hospital sparked protests and allegations of medical negligence.
The deceased, identified as Nitish Avatar of Sheetal Nagar, had been undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in a bull attack nearly six weeks ago in Diesel Colony.
According to family sources, Nitish underwent surgery on Wednesday. Before the procedure, hospital authorities reportedly asked the family to deposit a fixed amount of money. However, due to financial constraints, the family could not arrange the full amount in time. On Thursday morning, Nitish’s condition deteriorated, and he passed away during treatment.
News of his death spread quickly, drawing relatives and locals to the hospital. The grieving family accused the hospital of delaying treatment due to financial reasons and failing to provide timely medical care. Their anger soon escalated into a protest inside the hospital premises.
Witnesses reported heated clashes between family members, supporters, and hospital security staff. The situation created chaos across the campus, forcing authorities to intervene.
Hospital officials have yet to issue an official statement regarding the allegations. Police and administrative authorities were informed of the incident, and investigations are expected to follow.
