Man sucked into MRI machine, dies

A man died after he was sucked into an MRI machine at a hospital run by the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation late on Saturday.

The victim, Rajesh Maru (32), was a salesman and the sole bread-winner of his family.

A resident of Lalbaug, Maru had gone to see his sister's mother-in-law, Laxmiben (62), at the Nair Hospital.

"A ward boy told him to carry an oxygen cylinder to the MRI room, which is prohibited," said Maru's brother-in-law Harish Solanki.

"As he entered the room, the MRI machine sucked him due to the magnetic field as he had an oxygen cylinder,” Maru added.

The victim's relatives and members of the Maru community -
from Gujarat and Rajasthan – staged a sit-in protest outside the Dean's chamber on Sunday.

The Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI is a test that uses powerful magnets, radio waves and a computer to generate detailed pictures of the human body. Unlike X-rays and CT scans, an MRI doesn't use radiation.

The B Y L Nair Ch Hospital & T N Medical College is among the premier medical institutions of Mumbai.

The accused are Dr Siddharth Shah, ward boy Vitthal Chavan and lady ward attendant Sunita Surve - and they are being formally placed under arrest.

A case has been registered and three people, including a doctor, have been booked and are being formally placed under arrest.

"The investigation is in progress," said DCP Deepak Deoraj.

The CCTV footage of the incident has been handed over to the police by the hospital authorities.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to Maru's family.

“I spoke to the chief minister. He has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh from the CM’s Relief Fund,” said BJP MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha.

DH News Service