A 61-year-old liver cancer patient undergoing treatment at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) in Lucknow was found dead with his throat slit inside the liver transplant unit ward early Monday morning. The deceased has been identified as Mushtaq Ali, a resident of Basti district, who was admitted to the hospital on April 21 and was receiving treatment for advanced-stage liver cancer under the gastroenterology department.
Incident Details
According to Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), South Zone, Vasanth Kumar, around 4:30 am, the patient's brother noticed blood oozing from Ali's neck and immediately alerted hospital staff and the police. A blood-stained surgical blade was recovered near the body. The police received an official memo from the hospital around 5:45 am, following which police teams, forensic experts, and the dog squad reached the spot.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the patient had been suffering from liver cancer for the past 8-9 months and was facing financial distress. All possible angles, including suicide and homicide, are being examined, the ADCP added.
Family Statement
Ali's brother, Mukhtar Ali, informed the police that he neither heard any scream nor noticed any unusual movement during the night. Police said there were no CCTV cameras in the ward, though footage from corridors and nearby areas is being scanned to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Medical and Forensic Investigation
The body has been sent for post-mortem, and legal action will be taken based on medical and forensic findings. Prima facie, it appears to be a suicide as the blade he got to shave was found near the bed, Kumar said. Ali was admitted to the gastro surgery ward on April 21 under Dr. Ashish Singh as a follow-up case of advanced adenocarcinoma of the gall bladder.
SGPGI Director Prof. R.K. Dhiman stated that the patient was stable and interacting normally with staff on Saturday night. However, early Sunday morning, nursing staff found him unresponsive with a deep cut on the right side of his neck. Doctors performed CPR for 15 minutes, but the patient could not be revived.
Police Investigation
We have not received any complaint from the family. The patient's daughter said that his uncle was the one who took care of her father all these months. The matter is being probed from all possible angles, the ADCP added. SGPGI doctors said the patient's condition was critical.
