BHOPAL: In a scene straight out of the bizarre, a 23-year-old patient admitted for “weakness” at a community health centre in Satna allegedly turned a treatment ward into a flashpoint. Caught sipping liquor on his hospital bed; he opened fire at the doctor who confronted him, before fleeing on a bike. The bullet narrowly missed its target, leaving stunned staff scrambling for safety. The incident unfolded around 12.30 am on Saturday at Satna district’s Unchehara CHC, where the youth, identified as Shivam Dwivedi, had been admitted for the past two days. Hospital staff on night duty reportedly noticed him consuming alcohol on his bed and alerted the duty doctor. What followed, officials said escalated from an argument to chaos spilling outside the hospital premises. According to staff accounts, the patient allegedly abused the doctor and ward staff when asked to stop, and as the doctor walked away, followed him outside, took out a country-made pistol and fired before escaping. Panic gripped the facility, with patients and staff shaken by the sudden burst of violence in what is typically a quiet night setting. Sub-divisional officer of police, Nagod, Raghu Kesari, told TOI, “The matter is being investigated. Things will be clear once the investigations are over. An FIR is yet to be registered. All aspects are being investigated. Whether the suspect has a criminal record is also being seen.” Hospital authorities flagged serious security concerns. Block medical officer (BMO) Unchehara, Dr A K Rai, said, “The youth was admitted to hospital for the past two days, but he used to go home at night. According to the staff on night duty, he was spotted drinking on his bed. When staff objected, he misbehaved and opened fire at the doctor when the latter raised an objection. Police were informed in the night itself. It is a serious security issue as women staff are also present at the hospital.” Police teams launched a search through the night, but the accused remained at large till reports last came in.
