Police vow to bring end to tout raj in hospitals

The police are committed to bring an end to the tout raj in SSKM Hospital and will take stringent steps against those who are still involved in the racket. It was learnt from highly placed sources in the city police that the action may be taken against many other group D workers who have been involved in the tout raj in the hospital.

Police may interrogate some doctors in this connection as well. The drive has been taken by the police after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had instructed the senior police officers to take steps against those who are indulging in malpractices in the hospital.

The topmost priority of the present state government is to ensure that the patients can avail best quality treatment in the hospitals for which the state health department has been taking various measures. But in some hospitals, touts were demanding money from the patients when they are entitled to get them free of costs.

Banerjee after her recent visit to the SSKM Hospital instructed the hospital authorities and the police to strongly deal with these elements. Following the Chief Minister’s order, the police arrested two touts from the SSKM Hospital a few days ago. On Thursday police held a group D employee of the hospital, Rajen Mullick for his alleged connection with the touts and later released him after interrogation.

Police are investigating allegations against Mullick which stated that he had given accommodations to some people in the staff quarters who are not staff members of the hospital. After interrogating Mullick, police have gathered important information in this regard. The police may also interrogate some doctors in the hospital in this connection.

It may be mentioned that despite of various health schemes introduced by the government, the patients were not getting fully benefit of these schemes due to some touts who are not only demanding money from the patients but are also trying to hamper the governmental activities by various tricks.