HYDERABAD: Five contract ward boys of the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Punjagutta were arrested on Friday for committing a series of thefts, including that of an ultrasound unit and an ECG machine, from the hospital.
The five have been committing thefts since the past two years and have stolen costly equipment worth over Rs 20 lakh.
The five ward boys hired on contract basis are — Mukkari Santosh Kumar, Cheemala Shiva Kumar, Mukthala Sai Kumar, Bommala Suresh and Vajji Raju. They were nabbed by the Punjagutta police on credible information on Friday.
On investigation, the five members have told the police that they had stolen an ultrasound unit worth Rs 6.75 lakh, a defibrillator (code master) worth Rs 2.50 lakh, syringe pumps worth Rs 1.60 lakh, a microscope worth Rs 25,000, an ECG machine worth Rs 1.65 lakh and a microscope, video camera attachment of fiber optic bronocoscopy and defibrillator (code master) worth Rs 7.80 lakh. “The stolen property is worth Rs 20.55 lakh and all the equipment was recovered,” West Zone DCP C Ravi Verma told reporters on Friday.
Police said a report would be submitted to the NIMS authorities for terminating the services of the five ward boys for stealing hospital equipment.