No wheelchair, woman drags ill husband for scanning in Shivamogga hospital

Shivamogga, Jun 2: In a bizarre incident,an elderly woman had to drag her ill husband along the floorto get his scanning done as she was allegedly not provided with a wheelchair at a government run-hospital here.

The video of the incident, where Amir Saab, aged about 75, is seen being dragged by his foot along the floor by his wife Fameeda, has sparked outrage with the government ordering an inquiry into it.

The incident occurred on May 31 afternoon, at the state government run McGann Hospital here.

According to the patient, his wife was not provided the wheel chair by hospital authorities, despite repeated requests.

"We were fed up after repeatedly asking for a wheelchair. No one gave it. So my wife dragged me outside. By thensomeone came. They raised their voice against hospital authoritiesand got us the wheelchair," Amir Saab toldreporters.

He said he has got back pain after being dragged along the floor and also complained that doctors were not visiting "properly".

Health department officials said Amir Saab was admitted on May 25 due to some lung problem, breathing issues and swelling in the body. The physician after conducting tests, had advised an abdomen scan on May 30, they said.

The "unfortunate" incident should not have occurred as there were adequate number of wheelchairs, the hospital officials said, adding, an inquiry would be held regarding the lapses.

Minister for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil, under whose department the hospital comes, has ordered aninquiry.

Stating that he was "surprised" by the incident, Patil said he would ask for the report and take action against those responsible.

Health Minister Ramesh Kumar said officials toldhim the patient's family was "impatient" to wait for thewheelchair.

"But I told officials that such incidentsshould not have happened at a government hospital. So conduct aninquiry and submit a report, so that action can be takenagainst those responsible," he said.

Kumar while apologising to the public for the incident, also appealed to them not to loose faith in government hospitals because of such stray incidents.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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