Paraplegic moves around hospital in a tricycle for want of Rs100 to pay bribe for wheelchair

A paraplegic man who could not pay a bribe of Rs100 for a wheelchair, had to move around in a child's tricycle Hyderabad's, Gandhi Hospital. A video doing the rounds on social media showed Raju, who has lost the use of his legs and is in a semi-paralysed state from an electric shock, pushing himself on a tricycle.

Raju, who has a family of five, had been making a meagre living along with his wife Santoshi, who earns Rs1,500 per month, by washing utensils in neighbouring households.

"My husband lost the use of his legs after the accident last year. For the last 100 days, he has been admitted at Gandhi Hospital for treatment. He was put on the sixth floor, so every time we asked for a wheelchair the ward boy asks for Rs100 or Rs50. On Friday, we brought my child's tricycle to help him move around without having to pay a bribe," said Santoshi, The Hindustan Times reported.

Santoshi, who accompanied him to the hospital yesterday, pushed and pulled the cycle to move him around the wards. "There was one ward boy Shamim who asked us for money for every visit of ours. I have handed my mangalsutra to a pawn broker to fund my husband's treatment," said Santoshi.

With Santoshi's help Raju uses the tricycle to reach the ward on the fifth floor. ''We came by autorickshaw to the hospital on Thursday morning for a check-up. To get a wheel chair we have to give Rs100 to an attendant, which we sometimes cannot afford. So we brought our child's tricycle,'' Santoshi said. ''If I do not have it (the Rs100), the attendant keeps my mobile phone and I have to beg and plead with other patients to pay Rs100 on my behalf,'' The Indian Express reported.

Raju, who is the sole breadwinner of the family, has four children and little hope of finding work soon. A neighbour Mohammed Safi, an autorickshaw driver, takes care of the family and also takes Raju to the hospital in his autorickshaw whenever possible. ''This man cannot walk but they demand Rs100 from his wife for a wheel chair,'' Safi said. ''I was in tears when I saw how his wife pushes him on the tricycle… No one helps. If we complain, the attendant may help once but the next time again they demand bribes,'' he said.