GUNTUR: Weeks after a six-year-old boy was abducted from the premises of the Guntur Government General Hospital (GGH), people have raised concerns over security at the hospital. Following this, the GGH administration has decided to step up vigilance.
Following the incident, district collector Venugopal Reddy and superintendent of police (SP) Arif Hafeez conducted a surprise inspection at the hospital to review security measures. They instructed the hospital authorities to set up 100 additional CCTV cameras in the corridors and wards of the hospital.
Directing the management to strictly follow the rules, the Collector and SP instructed officials to allow only two attendees to visit the patient during visiting hours to control rush in the wards. SP Arif Hafeez explained that a special surveillance team will be deployed at the hospital for the safety of the patients.
Hospital Regional Medical Officer (RMO) Sathish Kumar told TNIE that there are 185 CCTV cameras in over 45 wards of the hospital, while around 175 security guards and supervisors work in three shifts to monitor the premises.
As a number of people from across the State visit the hospital for availing treatment, additional wards have been set up at the GGH over the years. It may be recalled that Varshit, a resident of Machayapalem village in Bellamkonda mandal, went missing on October 21, while he and his family were visiting his aunt who was admitted to the GGH. The parents immediately informed the security in-charge.
Investigation in the case led the police to a woman named Nagamma. They arrested her and two others. Police traced Varshit at Jilugumilli village in Eluru district. Nagamma had also kidnapped a four-year-old boy, Prakash, in September. She sold both the children to her relatives for Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000.
In 2021, the abduction of a four-day-old baby from the GGH gained attention as the two accused were staff members at the hospital.