MADIKERI: After losing her to Covid-19, Hritiksha is now trying to retrieve her fond memories spent with her mother, whose smartphone has gone missing from the hospital where she spent her final hours.
“We are not a well-to-do family. My wife saved up money to buy a smartphone so that Hrishika can attend online school. It was the only phone in our family and had all the pictures,” says a devastated Naveen Kumar, Hritiksha’s father.
In a heart-wrenching letter submitted to the district administration, she writes, “I have been orphaned without a mother. My father, who is a daily wager, has also tested positive for Covid-19 at the Madikeri hospital. I was also unable to retrieve her memories as her mobile phone has gone missing. I request the concerned to return my mother’s phone as it holds a lot of memories.”
The letter reached the district administration authorities and DC Charulata Somal has ordered a probe into the matter. The family has confirmed that the Madikeri DySP has registered a complaint in this regard.
There are several incidents where Covid victims’ mobile phones have gone missing from the Madikeri Hospital. When questioned, in-charge district surgeon Dr Manjunath said, “We are taking precautions to avoid such incidents. It is learnt that the phones belonging to the patients are being stolen when they are shifted to ICU. Police are investigating. We are now assigning floor responsibilities and have also ordered that the ICU patients’ belongings be kept inside the lockers at the triage area of the hospital.”