Latest news with #Gangadharan
The Hindu
04-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Oncologist, family receive death threat demanding ‘blood money'
KOCHI: Oncologist V.P. Gangadharan received an alleged death threat warning to kill him or his family members unless he paid ₹8.25 lakh as 'blood money' for an alleged medical negligence leading to the death of a patient. The Maradu police have registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 351(4) (criminal intimidation), 62 (attempt to commit serious offences), and 308(4) (extortion). The First Information Report was registered on May 22. Dr. Gangadharan received the letter at Lakeshore Hospital in the name of an alleged organisation 'Citizen for Justice,' from a Mumbai address as ordinary mail on May 17. The letter demanded that the 'blood money' be paid either through a Bitcoin link or scanning the QR Code in the letter. 'We are planning to forward to the case to cyber division,' said the Maradu police sources. The letter alleged that a girl was killed due to the doctor's medical negligence following which her mother took her life. Following this, the girl's father approached the organisation, the letter claimed.
New Indian Express
04-06-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Oncologist receives extortion threat in 'blood money' scam, police launch probe
KOCHI: In a disturbing incident, renowned oncologist Dr V P Gangadharan has received an anonymous extortion letter demanding Rs 8.25 lakh in so-called 'blood money'. The letter, purportedly sent by a group identifying itself as 'Citizens for Justice' and claiming to be based in Mumbai, threatened dire consequences if the demand was not met. Following the receipt of the letter by post on 17 May, Dr Gangadharan promptly lodged a complaint, prompting Kochi City Police to initiate an investigation. The Maradu Police have registered a case and are coordinating with the cyber cell and the postal department to trace those behind the threat. According to police officials, the letter accused Dr Gangadharan of medical negligence allegedly leading to the death of a young girl, which was reportedly followed by her mother's suicide. The group claimed that the girl's father had approached them seeking justice.
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- The Hindu
Parents face the consequences of road accidents caused by underage drivers
In a bid to crack down on underage driving, the Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP) have been arresting and remanding parents of minors causing road accidents. According to police, five persons have been killed and 22 injured in accidents that involved minors behind the wheel in the past four months. Not only is underage driving illegal but it also puts drivers, passengers, and other road users at risk. At Kumaran Colony in Vadapalani on the evening of April 7, the parents of a 13-year-old boy asked him to put the cover for their car. Instead, the minor took the car out for a drive on the sly and even picked up his friend. When the vehicle was near Kumaran Nagar Main Road, the boy lost control of it and hit two men. One of them, M. Mahalingam, 83, of Saligramam, died of a head injury at the hospital and the other Gangadharan, 49, was injured. The car was completely damaged. The next day, the Traffic Investigation Wing (TIW) arrested the boy's father and sent him to judicial remand. The boy was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and sent to an observation home. A few days later, in yet another case, Sampath, 76, was injured after a 16-year-old boy allegedly rammed him with a two-wheeler when he was walking on the road in Saligramam. The juvenile boy was riding his mother's two-wheeler. Car overturns On April 1, a 17-year-old boy, accompanied by four of his friends, took his father's car for a drive in Vyasarpadi. He drove the car rashly and lost control, which resulted in it overturning after hitting a concrete wall. The TIW, Vyasarpadi, nabbed the juvenile driver and seized the car. The parent of the minor was booked under the relevant laws. A senior traffic police officer said: 'On most occasions, the parents themselves encourage their children to ride two-wheelers to go to nearby shops, tuition centres, and school without realising the consequences and that rules do not allow minors to drive. In a few instances, minors drive the vehicles without the knowledge of their parents.' On Monday, a 14-year-old boy rode his father's bike in Poonamallee, with his two friends riding pillion. When they were near Malayambakkam, the boy lost control of the vehicle and rammed a concrete median. The rider died on the spot in the impact, and the two others were rushed to a hospital in critical condition. According to statistics of the GCTP, there were five fatal accidents and five persons were killed in road accidents caused by the underage drivers-minors and over 22 persons were injured in such accidents. In 2014, 13 fatalities were reported and 33 persons were injured. So far in this year, five persons have been killed, 22 injured. A senior officer of the GCTP said Section 199-A of the Motor Vehicles Act dealt with offences committed by juveniles. As per the provision, the guardian of the juvenile in question or the vehicle's owner would be held liable for the accident. The guardian or owner would be punishable with imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of ₹25,000. The officer said parents and guardians would be held responsible for the accidents, whether fatal or non-fatal. 'Recently, at least 12 parents have been remanded in judicial custody in underage driving cases. We are taking strict action against the violators,' he added. Rajkumar Muthukrishnan, child rights activist and lawyer, Madras High Court, said accidents caused by underage driving posed grave risks to children's safety and the broader community. Disrespect for rules 'When minors flout traffic laws, it normalises disrespect for rules, undermining our collective trust in road safety. It is the responsibility of parents/guardians to secure vehicles and educate children. We support stricter penalties for negligence, including fines or community service. Schools must integrate road safety into their curricula and collaborate with the traffic police for workshops on road safety,' he said. Mr. Muthukrishnan added that authorities should implement stricter enforcement such as impounding vehicles used by minors and patrolling accident-prone zones. Number of accidents caused due to underage driving Year Fatal accidents Non-fatal accidents 2023 5 22 2024 13 33 2025 (as of April) 5 22
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Kozhikode MCH fire: Govt orders multi-agency probe; autopsy reports say deaths not due to smoke inhalation
Kozhikode: The state govt on Saturday ordered a multi-agency probe into the fire that broke out in the UPS room of the emergency department at Kozhikode medical college hospital on Friday night, as well as the five deaths that occurred at the time in the hospital. Preliminary post-mortem reports indicate that the deaths were not caused by smoke inhalation. Health minister Veena George said the electrical inspectorate and police were investigating the technical aspects to determine the causes behind the spread of smoke in one of the hospital buildings. A forensic examination is also progressing as part of the police investigation, she added. Police have registered separate cases and launched an investigation of the fire incident and the deaths. Medical College police filed cases of unnatural death in connection with the deaths of K Gopalan (67) of West Hill, Gangadharan (72) of Meppayur, Surendran (59) of Vadakara, and Ganga Haldar (34) of Malda, West Bengal. Meppadi police registered a case for the unnatural death of Naseera (44) of Kottappadi, Wayanad. According to sources, the initial assessment indicates that Gangadharan and Gopalan died of cardiac arrest, Surendran from pneumonia and Naseera's death was due to poisoning. Detailed information on their health conditions will be available after receiving the chemical analysis results, sources said. Ganga Haldar, meanwhile, was brought to the emergency department after being found hanging at his residence in Kudilthodu and was declared dead at the hospital. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo Police sources said Surendran was on ventilator support in the emergency department due to pneumonia. An investigation is underway to determine whether the loss of ventilator support during the smoke evacuation contributed to his death. His brother has filed a complaint. Gangadharan had sought treatment for low sodium levels and was in the general medicine ward of the emergency department. His relatives filed a complaint, suspecting his death was caused by the loss of oxygen support. Gopalan was also on a ventilator. His son filed a complaint, suspecting that the loss of oxygen support during the patient evacuation might have contributed to his death. Naseera had reportedly consumed poison at her residence in Wayanad on Thursday evening. She died at 10.45pm on Friday while undergoing treatment at the MCH. The Medical College police registered a case regarding the explosion based on a complaint lodged by a hospital employee. According to the complaint, a UPS unit caught fire and exploded at 7.55pm on Friday in the red zone of the emergency department building, causing significant damage. The case was filed under the section for accidental fire. The explosion destroyed 37 UPS batteries. The blast occurred in the UPS room serving the MRI scanning unit. The explosion reportedly caused the UPS room door to jam, and when it was broken down, the smoke spread throughout the hospital. The preliminary conclusion by the PWD electrical department is that a short circuit or battery failure might have caused the accident. At the time of the incident, 151 patients were in the emergency department. Of these, 114 continued treatment at the medical college, while 37 were shifted to other hospitals. Twelve are currently being treated at Beach General Hospital, and the rest are in various private hospitals in the city. The health minister said a decision regarding the coverage of treatment expenses for those admitted to private hospitals would be made soon. Doctors will review the cases and those wishing to return to the medical college can do so. No patient will be denied treatment. One patient in a private hospital remains on ventilator support, she added.
