5 touts arrested from Kolkata hospitals as police crackdown on middlemen system

Kolkata police have initiated a crackdown against the middlemen system prevalent in government hospitals. Five individuals have been apprehended in connection with the matter from the NRS and SSKM Hospitals. Joint Commissioner (Crime) Muralidhar Sharma of the Kolkata Police provided details of the operation on Thursday morning.

Sharma revealed that a campaign was launched on Wednesday at the NRS hospital premises to nab such touts who exploited patients by extorting money in exchange for quick treatment. The arrested individuals have been identified as Prayag Shah (52), Pankaj Pandey (30), and Pavitra Mukherjee (52).

A similar operation was conducted at SSKM Hospital, where Uttam Das and Manoj Mallick were caught. Their accomplices are being identified following interrogation. The tout system has been active in government hospitals for a while, and it exploits poor patients by promising various services that are already provided for free.

Sharma stated that the police had received several complaints about such activities, prompting the Gunda Suppression Branch (ARS) of Kolkata Police to initiate the operation. All the suspects will be presented in court and taken into custody on Thursday afternoon.