Outraged relatives of road accident victims staged demonstrations in Zaheerabad after hospital staff failed to conduct post-mortems for hours, while demanding justice and compensation.
Healthcare Breakdown at Zaheerabad Area Hospital
Tragedy struck Sangareddy district on Tuesday when a fatal road collision near Sajjapur village in Kohir Mandal claimed two lives. However, the grief of the victims' families quickly turned into intense outrage as systemic failures at the Zaheerabad Area Hospital delayed essential post-mortem procedures for nearly ten hours.
The fatal crash occurred around 10:30 AM, prompting emergency responders to transport the deceased to the government-run facility for formal autopsies. Despite the early arrival of the bodies, no medical personnel were present to perform the procedures. As the hours passed, families waited in vain for duty doctors, the Resident Medical Officer (RMO), or the Hospital Superintendent to arrive. By 8:00 PM, the post-mortems remained incomplete due to the absolute absence of medical staff at the premises.
The severe shortage and unaccountability of administrative and medical professionals at the facility left both grieving relatives and regular patients in a state of distress, highlighting growing concerns over regional healthcare infrastructure.
Families Take to the Streets in Protest
Unable to secure assistance from hospital officials, the bereaved family members and community supporters organized demonstrations outside the Zaheerabad Government Area Hospital. Demanding immediate financial compensation from the owner of the heavy goods vehicle (DCM) involved in the fatal crash, protesters expanded their rally onto the adjacent national highway.
The blockade caused widespread traffic disruption, leaving scores of vehicles stranded along the highway for hours. Protesters voiced deep frustration over the perceived indifference of local administrators toward public safety and medical accountability, calling for urgent intervention from senior district authorities.
Allegations Against Local Police Enforcement
The protest escalated further as grieving relatives marched to the Zaheerabad Town Police Station, directing their anger at law enforcement handling of the incident. Victims' families accused the Kohir Station House Officer (SI) of refusing to register an official criminal case against the vehicle owner responsible for the collision.
Community members expressed severe anguish over the situation, questioning whether vulnerable populations, particularly Dalits, were being denied basic rights and equal protection under the law. "Is there no value for Dalit lives?" expressed grieving relatives during the demonstration, emphasizing systemic bias and official negligence.
Demonstrators staged a sit-in outside the town police station, demanding immediate administrative disciplinary action against the Kohir SI for failing to perform basic statutory duties. They urged senior police officials to intervene directly, register an official case, and ensure that justice and compensation are delivered to the bereaved families without further delay.