SONIPAT: A man in his early 30s died after allegedly jumping from the third floor of Sonipat Civil Hospital on Friday while attempting to flee after stealing the mobile phone of a woman admitted to the medical ward.According to the woman patient, identified as Preeti, she had been admitted to the hospital earlier that day after her health deteriorated. At around 1.30pm, she noticed a man moving around the medical ward. Assuming that he was accompanying a patient, she did not initially suspect anything unusual.The man subsequently came over and lay down on the vacant bed beside her.Preeti said she later fell asleep due to pain. When she woke up after noticing movement of the bedsheet, she realised that her mobile phone was missing.She immediately alerted the hospital staff, who reportedly began chasing the man as he attempted to flee with the phone. In an apparent attempt to evade being caught, the man jumped from the third floor of the hospital building and sustained fatal injuries.The deceased is believed to be around 30 to 35 years old. His identity has not yet been established.Preeti said she had purchased the mobile phone around two months ago on instalments and had paid only two instalments so far. Police have taken the damaged phone into their possession.Following the incident, hospital authorities said security arrangements would be tightened.Civil Hospital CMO Dr Alankrita Gaira said iron gates would be installed outside the wards and security personnel would keep a close watch on people entering the medical ward. Guards would also question anyone found behaving suspiciously.Sector-27 SHO inspector Savit Kumar said the police reached the spot after receiving information about the incident. He said the deceased’s body has been kept in the mortuary and his identity has not yet been established.“Efforts are being made to ascertain his identity. Once the identity is confirmed, the post-mortem examination will be conducted and further action will be taken accordingly,” the SHO said.Police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and are also working to establish the deceased’s identity.
