West Bengal: Smoke in hospital, 22 patients go missing

At least 22 patients went missing after smoke emanated from the computer server of a government run hospital in Birbhum district early on Sunday, a health department official said.

The smoke was detected from the server of the Suri Sadar Hospital at around 1.30 am following which many patients fled, the district's Chief Medical Officer of Health Kartik Chandra Mondal said. Many of the patients were scared and fled from the hospital, he said, adding most of them returned later.

However, it was found that 22 of them did not return. A police complaint was lodged in connection with the incident, the CMOH said. Hospital Superintendent Sobhan Dey said the smoke was caused by mechanical fault and no damage was done to any patient or the hospital building.