90 vehicles stolen from govt hospital in E Delhi in 3 mnths

Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital (JPC), one of east Delhi's busiest government hospitals, has earned a dubious new distinction - its parking area has turned into a den of vehicle thefts. Between July and September alone, at least 90 vehicles have been stolen from within the hospital premises, police and hospital officials told HT.

- Jignasa Sinha

Despite four entry gates, over 20 guards, and CCTV cameras, the hospital campus has become a hunting ground for vehicle thieves. Doctors, staff and patients alike say they now arrive with anxiety, fearing their vehicles might vanish before their shift or treatment ends.

"We can't check every person leaving the premises. We only man the gates," said one security guard. "This isn't one person's doing. They have cutters and ignition tools. It looks like an organised gang."

The thefts, mostly of two-wheelers-scooters, bikes and a few bicycles - have upended daily life at the hospital. Victims include doctors, nurses, attendants, and patients' families, many of whom have lost not just vehicles but also crucial medical and personal documents kept inside.

A junior resident doctor recalled how his first scooter, bought just months ago, disappeared from near the OPD gate in August. "When I returned after my duty hours, it was gone. The guards said they hadn't seen anything. It's shocking that this can happen inside a hospital," he said.