An elderly woman was reportedly locked inside a washroom for nearly 18 hours at an Ayushman Arogya Kendra, formerly known as an Aam Aadmi Clinic, in Malout town, Punjab. The incident came to light after the healthcare facility reopened the following morning, prompting authorities to initiate a probe.
The woman, a resident of Ward 10 who works as a domestic help, had visited the health centre on Tuesday afternoon to collect medicines. While she was inside the washroom, staff reportedly closed the facility at around 2 pm and left without realising that she was still inside.
When the woman failed to return home, her family searched for her throughout the night and later approached the police to report her missing. She was found the following morning when staff reopened the centre at around 8 am on Wednesday. She had reportedly remained locked inside for close to 18 hours.
A family acquaintance demanded action against those responsible and sought accountability from the health centre staff for allegedly failing to ensure that the facility was empty before locking it for the day.
Dr Rajinder Kumar, Senior Medical Officer at Malout Civil Hospital, confirmed the incident and said a written explanation had been sought from the staff concerned. He said he had spoken to the doctor posted at the centre and directed the staff to submit a detailed report. According to the official, the woman was not registered as a patient in the OPD register.
Following the incident, the woman was taken to the hospital for a medical examination. Doctors confirmed that she was fine and had not suffered any major health complications despite remaining locked inside for several hours.
The incident has raised concerns over basic safety protocols and closing procedures at public health facilities. The woman’s family and local acquaintances have demanded disciplinary action against those responsible for allegedly locking the centre without checking whether anyone remained inside.
