Siliguri, 25th June: The family of a road accident victim staged a protest at a private hospital in Shiv Mandir after alleging that they were charged an excessively high medical bill for a single day’s treatment.
According to reports, Vishal Tamang, who was injured in a road accident on Wednesday, was admitted to a private hospital in the Kadamtala area of Shiv Mandir.
Family members alleged that the hospital charged ₹1.27 lakh for treatment that included an X-ray and stitches. They further claimed that the doctor’s fee alone amounted to ₹50,000. Alleging overbilling, the patient’s relatives and family members launched a protest at the hospital.
The situation reportedly escalated into a scuffle, prompting Matigara Police to intervene and bring the situation under control.
Following the incident, the patient was discharged from the private hospital and shifted to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) for further treatment.
Rejecting the allegations, hospital authorities claimed that the charges were justified. Speaking on behalf of the hospital, Dr. Bikash Bala said the patient had undergone surgery and remained in the operation theatre for around four hours, which accounted for the doctor’s fee of ₹50,000.
He further stated that a detailed breakdown of the bill had been provided to the patient’s family, but they were unwilling to make any payment.
Police have initiated an investigation into the incident.