HIV+ patient kills cancer victim at Bombay Hospital

Mateen Hafeez & Sumitra Deb Roy TNN

Mumbai: A 65-year-old cancer patient, Lilabihari Thakur, died and two others were injured in Bombay Hospital on Monday morning when an HIV-positive TB patient attacked them with a metal saline bottle stand, apparently without provocation. 

    The attacker, a 42-year-old Agripada resident (name withheld by TOI), was subdued by ward boys and relatives of other patients in the third-floor general ward and handed over to the police.
    J J Hospital dean T P Lahane said he seemed to display symptoms of schizophrenia. He has been admitted to a ward in JJ hospital, and his arms bound, said sources. He has been charged with murder, but is yet to be arrested. 

    Police said around 6.30am, he came out of the toilet and attacked Thakur, whose lung cancer was in an advanced stage, but who was to be discharged in three days after a month’s stay in the hospital.
    The assailant reportedly smashed Thakur’s head before he could be stopped.  

 

Attack on cancer invalid by fellow patient unprovoked, unplanned

Didn’t Show Any Signs Of Violence Till Monday, Says Hosp

    

An HIV-positive person with TB killed a cancer patient, Lilabihari Thakur, in Bombay Hospital on Monday. "By the time, ward boys and patients’ relatives could stop the attacker, he had smashed Thakur’s head,” said a source. Thakur was rushed to the hospital ICU, where he was pronounced dead after three hours.
 

    The assailant, an Agripada resident, also attacked two other patients—Praful Parmar (70) and Janardhan Arte (66)—who are in a stable condition at the same hospital.
 

    Thakur’s son Pankaj said his mother Miradevi had been at his father’s bedside since he was admitted on April 12. “On Monday morning, my mother had gone downstairs to bring medicines. The attack took place around that time. He hit father thrice with the rod. My father was bleeding profusely,” said Pankaj, who works in a private firm as an administrator. “He also hit the other two patients on their heads,” he added.
 

    The police said people at the ward struggled to overpower the man. “He was so violent three to four men could not control him. Sister Alina Anthony, the nurse who is the complainant, said he was finally pinned down to a chair by several people, given a sedative injection and tied up,” said a policeman.
 

    The accused was undergoing treatment for tuberculosis meningitis at Bombay Hospital since May 8. “He is a known case of TB and HIV, and had been admitted here last year with similar health complaints,” said Dr Sagar Sankhle, the hospital spokesperson. The accused had been cooperating with all diagnostic tests and never showed any violent behaviour until Monday, he added.
 

    The accused used to work in a private firm until he was diagnosed with HIV. He went into depression and was under treatment at several places before coming to the Marine Lines hospital, said the police.
 

    There was no enmity between the accused and Thakur, who came from Agra and worked as a taxi driver in Mumbai for over 30 years, or planning in the attack, said senior inspector Narendra Singh.
 

    Thakur, a resident of Pratiksha Nagar in Sion, is survived by his wife, three sons and two sisters. He needed regular clearing of lungs for fluid retention and was first admitted to the general ward. His health deteriorated and he was shifted to the ICU. “On April 30, he was brought back to the general ward. We were happy he was recovering and hoping to go home soon,” added Pankaj.
 

 

MANSLAUGHTER IN HOSPITAL  

THE ATTACKER 42-year-old Agripada resident undergoing treatment for tuberculosis meningitis (brain) at Bombay Hospital since May 8
 

A known case of tuberculosis and HIV, he had been admitted about a year ago with similar complaints
 

He worked with a private firm until he was diagnosed with HIV. He went into depression and was under treatment at several places before reaching Bombay Hospital
 

    He was cooperating with diagnosis and never showed any violent behavior till Monday, said hospital sources 

 

 THE VICTIMS | Lilabihari Thakur, 65, was undergoing palliative treatment for end-stage lung cancer and was in hospital since April 11 

| The Sion resident needed regular clearing of lungs for fluid retention 

| Thakur, first admitted to the general ward, was shifted to ICU as his health deteriorated. After a week, he was shifted to the general ward on April 30 

 He was to be discharged in three days
Praful Parmar (70) and Janardhan Arte (66) also sustained lacerative wounds 

| The two are undergoing treatment at Bombay Hospital and are said to be stable
 

MORNING TRAGEDY |

 6.30am: The TB patient comes out of toilet and attacks Thakur with the saline bottles stand
6.40am: Patients and nurses run helter-skelter as the accused also hits two more patients in the ward
6.45am: Ward boys and relatives of patients overpower him, tie him to chair. The police are informed immediately
7am: A bleeding Thakur is rushed to the ICU with serious head injuries
9.30am: Thakur is declared dead. Body is sent to JJ Hospital for post-mortem  

 

POLICE ACTION 

 The accused was initially booked for attempt to murder | After Thakur died, the police added the sections of murder | He is under treatment and has not been arrested yet

The Times of India, May 13, 2014