A fatal hit-and-run accident was reported in the premises of the Lokmanya Tilak Hospital General Hospital, popularly known as Sion Hospital, said the police on Saturday. The accused driver is a faculty member of the same hospital, identified as Dr Rajesh Dere, head of the Forensic Medicine and Toxicology department, who admitted the victim saying she was found ‘unconscious’ near the exit gate. He was arrested late Saturday night.
According to the Sion police, who investigated the matter, the victim is identified as Rubeda Shaikh (60), a resident of Mumbra, near Thane. Shaikh went through a medical surgery at Sion Hospital and was discharged on May 16. As per the post-surgical instructions, she was called on Friday for changing of a dressing over the incision. Shaikh had cut her hand unknowingly and was receiving treatment for the same.
After her dressing, while she was exiting the Outpatient Department (OPD) building near gate number 7, at around 11 pm, a car rammed into her, said police officials, who were totally unaware about how Shaikh died till they saw the CCTV camera.
A police source said that the hospital authorities claimed that Shaikh was found unconscious near the gate, and no injuries from the accident caused by the car were mentioned to them. However, CCTV camera footage was examined by the police which clearly captured the accident caused by Dr Dere and his car, followed by him leaving the hospital after admitting Shaikh in the emergency ward.
As per hospital records, the police said that Shaikh died due to severe blood loss caused due to injuries on her head and legs.
Dr Dere’s black car with registration number MH 04 LS 5777 was traced and located, police said. Multiple teams were deployed to arrest the accused.
Throughout Friday till Saturday morning, Shaikh was not identified as she didn’t have any ID cards or documents on her and was on the ventilator. Police sources mentioned that the hospital authorities didn’t cooperate with them when asked about Shaikh’s records to contact her family members. Later on Saturday afternoon, Shaikh’s son was contacted - Shanawaz Shaikh (31) - who later registered a formal FIR against the vehicle owner.
On Saturday late night, Sion police officials arrested Dr Dere.
In the FIR, Dr Dere has been booked under sections 304A (causing death due to negligence), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering human life), 279 (rash driving), 203 (giving false information respecting an offence committed), and 177 (knowingly furnishing false information to a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and section 184 (driving dangerously) of the Motor Vehicle Act.
