BERHAMPUR: Utpal Bala’s humble academic background did not prevent him from posing as a doctor and even treating patients for various ailments.
Utpal, a resident of Tinna Netajipalli village in Hoogly district of West Bengal failed in Class VIII and never pursued his academic endeavours further. But he opened a clinic at Mitra Street in Berhampur city where he treated patients. Utpal was caught during a raid on the clinic on Thursday.
Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M said Utpal worked as a waiter at a hotel in Visakhapatnam from 2016 to 2019. He then came to Berhampur where he took a house on rent at Rampa Street and opened his clinic called Krissha Piles Clinic. Another board on the clinic reads Sexual Health Clinic and Gupta Roga Chikitsalaya. The boards mention that Utpal is a Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery (BMS).
Saravana said Utpal had been treating people for ailments like piles and others. He also conducted surgeries for piles and pustules. He said recently one Jashya Muthamajhi (23) of Kandhamal had come to the clinic for treatment of piles. Utpal took Rs 12,000 from Jashya for treatment.
Even as Jashya was not cured, Utpal sought Rs 12,000 more from him. Jashya smelled foul and lodged a complaint with police following which a raid was conducted at the clinic and Utpal arrested. The SP said along with the sign boards, surgery equipment were also seized from the clinic.
Interestingly, Utpal’s clinic was located at a stone’s throw from the district health office.