Trouble mongers playing havoc with Yenepoya hospital? 8 cars smashed in one night

Mangaluru, Aug 16: A group of miscreants recently damaged several cars that were parked outside the Yenepoya Medical College Hospital in Derlakatte, on the outskirts of the city. The incident took place in the wee hours of Sunday.

As all the parking area inside the hospital campus is fully occupied, the hospital authorities have rented a small area outside the campus for parking. 

The incident was reported by a family member of a patient admitted in Yenepoya Hospital who was in his car at that time (between 1:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.).

He also suffered injuries and went to the Hospital Casualty for first aid. By the time the hospital security reached the spot, the miscreants had already fled the spot. However, they had already damaged eight cars. Windshields of a few cars were also broken. 

Five of these ill-fated cars had been parked by the family members of the patients admitted in the hospital. Two cars were belonging to the PG and staff working in the Department of Anesthesia in the hospital.

As most of the patient parties were from distant places, they did not want to lodge a complaint and get into a police case. They wanted to reach their homes as soon as the patients were discharged from the hospital. They left after doing basic repair works to their vehicles.

However, the hospital and the staff members of the institution whose cars were damaged filed a complaint in the local police station.

Demand for a permanent police outpost

This is not a one off incident that has happened. According to hospital authorities, these types of incidents have become an everyday affair in the area. The Madani Nagar area where the hospital is situated is a sensitive area in terms of law and order. The anti-social elements have been targeting the hospital, the staff and the innocent patients and their family members using the services. Their only motive is to foment trouble. 

This is hampering the smooth running of the hospital especially in the night when emergency cases are brought to the hospital. Critical time is wasted in handling these miscreants and sending them out of the premises. The matter has been brought to the notice of the local police authorities and at the departmental level. Also several appeals have been made through the local MLA and Minister U T Khader. In spite of night patrolling in the area, this menace is continuing as the miscreants come in groups at odd hours and identifying them becomes very difficult.

The hospital authorities feel that the only solution seems to be setting up of a permanent police outpost outside the hospital to deter the miscreants from indulging in such activities. “A police outpost may bring respite to the residents and the large number of patients who visit the hospital from far off places,” they said.