Muzaffarnagar: A shocking allegation of medical cruelty has emerged from a district hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar, where a doctor has been accused of deliberately re-fracturing the leg of a 14-year-old girl after her family failed to pay the full bribe allegedly demanded for surgery.
The girl's mother, Reshma, said her daughter underwent surgery on her right leg at the hospital a month ago. According to the family, hospital officials had demanded Rs 25,000 for the procedure despite orders from the Chief Medical Officer directing that the child receive treatment free of cost.
The family had earlier approached district authorities after allegedly being denied treatment because they could not pay. Following administrative intervention, the hospital was instructed to provide free care. However, the mother alleged that hospital staff still collected Rs 8,000 and asked her to pay the remaining Rs 17,000 later.
Reshma said that after she informed hospital authorities that she could not arrange the balance amount because of severe financial difficulties, her daughter was called back to the hospital on the pretext of a medical examination. The mother alleged that during the visit, the doctor forcibly bent the girl's operated leg, causing the bone to fracture again and leaving the child in extreme pain.
The incident came to light after the widowed mother and her daughter approached the district collectorate seeking justice. The family has demanded strict legal action against the doctor and hospital staff allegedly involved in the incident.
The allegations have sparked outrage, with questions being raised about corruption and accountability in public healthcare. District authorities have ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter, and an investigation is currently underway.