Bandipora, July 17 -- Suhail Rather

In just the last 20 hours, at least 18 patients - including seven pregnant women and eleven from the general wards - have been referred from District Hospital (DH) Bandipora to Srinagar hospitals, sparking outrage among locals and patient families who allege gross medical negligence and absence of accountability.

While doctors maintain that the referred cases required specialized care not available at DH Bandipora, patients and attendants argue that many of these cases could have been managed even at Sub Centres or within the district hospital itself.

"Doctors just want to free themselves of responsibility. They prefer to refer patients instead of treating them, even if the cases are manageable," all...