Sumitra Deb Roy

Mumbai: Indian fisherman Narendra Ootam Dhobi, who was arrested after straying into Pakistani waters, might have languished in jails there for years. But he was repatriated within three months as authorities there discovered he was HIV+.

Homecoming, however, has been a rude shock for the 19-year-old. Dhobi says doctors in Pakistan treated him much better than the ones at the city hospital where he was admitted on Wednesday.

“Besides providing me with good food and medication, two doctors visited me in prison daily,” he said, adding that though he had heard stories of fellow fishermen being tortured he never faced any problems.

A resident of Jambori village near Vapi, Dhobi tested positive on March 3 after being taken to the Karachi civil hospital for a routine check-up. The Pakistan Juvenile prison authorities then accelerated the procedure to release him and send him back.

“The authorities in Pakistan told me I was suffering from tuberculosis and they did not want me to die there,” said Dhobi.

On Wednesday morning, Dhobi was flown from Karachi to Mumbai following which he was rushed to the civic-run KEM Hospital at Parel after he complained of weakness, chest pain, knee and joint pain and diarrhoea.

But Dhobi says none of the doctors came forward to diagnose him leave alone provide treatment. Worse, when he went to the bathroom for about 15 minutes, he found his bed had been allotted to someone else.

“I was told to leave the hospital,” said Dhobi, adding, “I was in deep pain but they refused to even diagnose me.”

By evening, the hospital authorities promptly discharged him stating he was “absconding”. According to the rules a patient can be declared absconding only when he is not present in the hospital premises for more than four hours.

When Jatin Desai from the NGO Pakistan-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy that had worked to get him released came to the hospital on Thursday morning, he was shocked to find Dhobi sleeping in the hospital corridor.

“After a lot of pleas, he was readmitted and also got some medical care,” said Desai.

When contacted, Dr ME Yeolekar, dean of KEM hospital, said, “This will not be tolerated. The charges will be looked into. Dhobi has already started receiving treatment under the HIV/Aids specialist.”

Dhobi’s parents have been traced after two days of a massive manhunt by the Gujarat state authorities. “They were not aware all this while that their son was jailed in Pakistan,” said HV Mehta, assistant superintendent, fisheries, Navsari.

Source : DNA