Srinagar, May 24,: Tensions ran high at Paras Hospital Srinagar on Saturday as family members of a 34-year-old man from South Kashmir’s Pampore held a massive protest within the hospital premises, accusing the hospital, particularly a senior doctor, of gross negligence leading to the death of their loved one. The deceased, Waseem Ahmed Pathan, a resident of Bilal Colony Pampore, had recently returned from Saudi Arabia and was running a newly launched tour and travel business.
Waseem, according to his family, had been admitted to Paras Hospital Sonwar eight days ago after complaining of intestinal pain. He was attended to by Dr Zahoor Ahmed Sheikh, who diagnosed a cyst and recommended surgery, quoting a cost of Rs 2.5 lakh. The family agreed, paid the amount, and the surgery was carried out.
Sheikh Aamir, cousin of the deceased, told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that while Waseem was discharged after the initial surgery, his condition deteriorated rapidly and he had to be rushed back to the hospital. “Once again, we were charged another Rs 2.5 lakh for a second operation. We were kept in the dark and denied access to the ward. Later, we were told he had developed a 0.3 mm blood clot. If that was the cause of death, why wasn’t it detected and treated earlier? Why wasn’t the family informed during the first surgery?” he questioned.
In a harrowing account, Aamir alleged that during the patient’s final hours, Dr Zahoor was not present at the hospital and was instead giving instructions to junior staff over the phone. “We trusted the doctor with our brother’s life. But when it mattered the most, he wasn’t even there,” he said.
Waseem’s brother, visibly distraught, described the hospital as a “slaughter house” and a “money minting building.” He said his brother was unmarried, young, and full of dreams, having recently returned from the Gulf to start a new life in Kashmir. “Paras Hospital took Rs 5 lakh from us and returned a dead body,” he said bitterly.
As news of the incident spread, dozens of relatives and locals gathered outside the hospital and staged protests demanding action. The family raised slogans and urged the Health Minister Sakina Itoo and Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Bilal Mohiuddin Bhat to launch an inquiry into the functioning of the hospital and hold the concerned doctor accountable.
The family also lamented the complete apathy shown by the hospital management. “No one from the administration came to us. We didn’t damage hospital property or shout slogans inside. Instead of consoling us, they hid themselves,” a family member said.
This incident is the latest in a string of controversies surrounding Paras Hospital Srinagar, which has increasingly been under public scrutiny for reported negligence and mismanagement. Multiple voices on social media have questioned the hospital’s commitment to ethical medical care, alleging that financial motives often take precedence over patient well-being.
All attempts to reach any official from the hospital proved futile.The tragic death of Waseem Ahmed Pathan has reignited concerns about the accountability of private healthcare facilities in the region, with growing calls for the government to enforce stricter oversight and patient protection mechanisms.
The grieving family has vowed to continue their protest until justice is delivered and a case of negligence is formally registered against the concerned doctor and hospital authorities. [KNT]
