Sion Hospital controversy: 'Video not from the COVID-19 ward', Mumbai Mayor clarifies

A day after the Sion hospital controversy broke, Mumbai Mayor, Kishori Pednekar, on Friday has clarified that the video shared by BJP MLA Nitesh Rane showing patients being allegedly treated next to body bags, was not from a COVID ward in Sion Hospital. Pednekar stated that the video was 15 days old and that if the people present in the ward at the time took precautions till May 31, they will be fine. The BJP has demanded action against the BMC for mismanagement.

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Sion hospital controversy

On Thursday, BJP MLA Nitesh Rane shared a video in which patients were seen being treated allegedly next to bodies wrapped in black body bags. While Rane claims that the video is from Sion hospital, that has yet to be verified. Visuals in the video that surfaced on social media show a crowded ward where patients are lying connected to drip bags and body bags are laid out on adjacent beds as doctors in protective gear are seen going about their duties, attending patients.

Slamming the Uddhav Thackeray government, Former CM Devendra Fadnavis tweeted that the incident endangered the lives of Mumbaikars. He added that the government must ensure that such an incident does not occur again. Echoing similar sentiments, ex-Mumbai Congress chief Milind Deora questioned the BMC's mismanagement.

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BMC sets up probe committee

Taking cognizance of the allegation, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar informed that BMC has set up a committee to authenticate if the video is from Sion hospital. She said that she has spoken to the dean of Sion Hospital but has not been able to identify if the video is of a Sion hospital ward. The BMC has assured that the civic body will issue a report within 24 hours after investigation.

Pednekar added, "There are cases where bodies are unclaimed and families are not identifiable or don't come to claim the bodies. Also some family members are themselves quarantined and hence cannot come to take the bodies. We will soon issue a set of guidelines to deal with the bodies if they are unclaimed and as to how long a body can be kept".

BJP alleges 'patients treated alongside bodies' in Sion hospital ward; BMC initiates probe

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