A viral video purportedly showing three women and a man consuming liquor inside the surgical building of Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) has prompted a police inquiry, raising questions about security and discipline at the government-run healthcare institution.
The footage is said to be around six months old, although its date of recording has not been officially confirmed. Taking cognisance of the matter, Darbhanga senior superintendent of police (SSP) Jagunath Raddi Jalaraddi directed the Benta police station in-charge to conduct a detailed investigation. The circulated footage purportedly shows women taking out snacks and disposable plastic glasses from a bag, followed by a man taking out a tetra pack of liquor from his waistband and handing it over. Hindustan Times has not independently verified the video or the circumstances in which it was recorded. The inquiry is expected to establish when and where the alleged incident took place and whether the people seen in the video were actually hospital employees or outsourced staff on duty.
DMCH superintendent Dr Jagdish Chandra said the footage would be examined to verify its authenticity and establish the identities of the people and the location shown in it. He said he informed the police as soon as he learnt about the alleged incident.
The video, which surfaced on Tuesday, purportedly shows the four near a staircase inside the hospital building. The women have reportedly been described as sanitation workers, while the man has been identified as a trolley worker. However, their identities, employment status and the authenticity of the footage have not yet been officially established. The hospital’s security in-charge, meanwhile, reportedly described the video as old.
Chandra also said the Darbhanga district magistrate had asked him to ascertain the details and initiate appropriate action.
