Mumbai man suffering stroke kept at police station for hours over 'drunk driving'
A 73-year-old man in Mumbai suffered a stroke while driving, but police detained him for hours on suspicion of drunk driving instead of seeking medical aid. The delay in treatment has left the man partially paralyzed, sparking concerns over police negligence and procedural failures.
Why it matters
This incident highlights critical gaps in emergency response protocols and the potential for law enforcement to misinterpret medical emergencies as criminal behavior.
MUMBAI: A 73-year-old man who suffered a stroke while driving his car last week, leading to a minor accident, was kept at Versova police station for allegedly five hours for suspected drunk driving, which resulted in him missing the crucial golden window to seek medical treatment, leaving him partially paralysed. His treatment was allegedly delayed by nearly 12 hours and he has been in the ICU since then.The family of Sharad Kadam, a Versova resident, said police suspected him of driving drunk, owing to his slurred speech after the stroke but did not subject him to any breathalyser test. Police claimed he told doctors at Cooper Hospital, where he was taken for a blood alcohol test after the FIR was filed, that he was drunk. Another test at Nanavati Hospital, to which Kadam was admitted around 8pm for treatment, showed no presence of alcohol.
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