Deep flaws in Madhya Pradesh’s hospital security and public safety have been revealed by a horrific act of violence. A 19-year-old Class 12 student called Sandhya Chaudhary was brutally murdered in front of everyone on June 27 inside the government district hospital in Narsinghpur by a man who was obsessed with her; nobody stood up.
The disturbing video, which came to light on Monday, shows the accused Abhishek Koshti cutting the girl’s throat while onlookers, including hospital employees, watch by and do nothing. As the girl bleeds to death on the hospital floor, some others even pass by.
A murder scene was created where there should have been a place of healing. Mobile camera footage shows Abhishek, dressed in a black shirt, slapping Sandhya, hurling her to the ground, sitting on her chest to pin her down, and then slitting her throat with a knife.
All of this happened in the emergency wing during the day, a few meters away from the guards and physicians. About ten minutes passed during the onslaught. After failing at his effort to cut his own neck, the attacker left the hospital, turned on a bike that was parked outside, and disappeared.
Two security officers were stationed outside the trauma centre at the time of the murder. There were several hospital employees inside, including ward boys, nurses, and a doctor. The attacker was not deterred by any.
Patients and their relatives were horrified when the security system completely failed. Eight of the 11 patients who were admitted to the trauma unit were discharged that same day, while the remaining patients left the following morning.
Around 2:00 pm that day, Sandhya left the house to visit her friend’s sister-in-law in the maternity department, telling her family she was going there. According to reports, Abhishek Koshti had been hanging around the hospital since lunchtime, probably in anticipation of her arrival. Before the altercation turned deadly, the two had a brief conversation outside room number 22. The bleeding was lethal, and the murder was quick. Sandhya passed away instantly.
Around 3:30 pm, the girl’s family was notified. Her body was still at the crime scene when they arrived at the hospital. Enraged, the family blocked the road outside the hospital. The protest was calmed only by 10:30 pm. But tempers flared again until 2 am, when officials assured strict action against those responsible for the lapse.
