Hospital theft alarm: Stolen medical equipment discovered at closed hospital; Investigation ongoing as the community health center remains inactive

Dumka: Several advanced medical instruments were found stolen from a closed hospital at Hansdiha near the Godda-Dumka border.The theft came to light when health worker Vipin Kumar Singh arrived there for geo-tagging activities on Saturday at the behest of Dumka civil surgeon.The hospital has been awaiting to become operationalised for years.Singh, upon arriving for geo-tagging, found locks of the departments broken. An FIR in this connection was lodged with the Hansdiha police station by the medical officer in charge of the Saraiyahat-based community health centre (CHC), Dr Prabha Rani Prasad, on Saturday.Dumka civil surgeon Dr Kamleshwar Prasad said the value of the equipment and other items stolen from the hospital is being evaluated.Officer in-charge (OC) of Hansdiha police station Tarachand said, “Investigation is under way. We have been questioning a few local suspects.”The hospital was constructed with the CSR funds provided by the Lalmatia-based Rajmahal project of the ECL nearly six years ago. It was used as a Covid-19 facility during the 2020-21 pandemic before it closed again.