Hospital staff in Uttar Pradesh in India have come under fire after a shocking video emerged showing an amputated leg of one of their patients used as a ‘pillow’ to raise his head after surgery. An investigation is underway.

Republic World and Asian News International (ANI) reported on Saturday that the man suffered the shameful and callous treatment at the Maharani Laxmibai Medical College in Jhansi, in southern Uttar Pradesh state. He had been brought in following a road traffic accident. Doctors were forced to amputate his left foot and part of the lower leg.

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After the video emerged showing the man lying on a treatment couch with the limb under his head, College Principal Sadhna Kaushik claimed the patient’s relatives had placed his severed limb under his head, and that staff had to remove it. ANI quoted Kaushik telling TV reporters that the doctor administering emergency treatment needed something to raise his head and the “patient’s attendant” used his leg.

#UttarPradesh: Attendants of a patient allege that staff at Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, Jhansi used his severed leg as a pillow for him after he was admitted there upon meeting with an accident, College Principal says 'We've set up committee to probe & will take action'. pic.twitter.com/lJFJ3SCjWf — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 10, 2018

But the patient’s brother-in-law contradicted that account. “When we arrived at the hospital we found his amputated leg under his head, when we asked the hospital about it, they didn’t answer anything. Nobody heard us from eight in the morning till two in the night,” Janaki Prasad said, according to Republic World. “We kept asking why he wasn’t given a pillow, none of the doctors listened to us, then we had to take the leg and keep it aside.”

He was given immediate medical aid. Doctor looked for something to raise his head. Patient's attendant used the leg for the same. We've set up committee. Strict action will be taken if our staff is found to be at fault: Sadhna Kaushik, Principal,Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College pic.twitter.com/mLk6udOU1w — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 10, 2018

Kaushik said the hospital had set up a committee to investigate the incident and vowed “strict action” if staff were found responsible. She said a senior resident orthopedic doctor, an emergency medical officer, a nurse-in-charge and another member of staff had already been suspended, pending the probe, while departmental proceedings had begun against a consultant on-call doctor.

Uttar Pradesh state Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said he did not have enough information to comment on the scandal.

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