The police have arrested at least 14 touts from the premises of three major state-run hospitals in Odisha, a senior police officer said on 26th September.

Chief Minister while addressing the Superintendents of Police and Chief District Medical Officers on 25th September evening had asked the police to ensure that government hospital premises are free of middlemen and directed doctors to provide quality healthcare services to patients. While the Commissionerate of Police, Bhubaneswar- Cuttack on 25th September night arrested four persons on the charge of misleading patients and diverting them to private hospital from the Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur district police nabbed five touts from Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla on 26th September.

Similarly, five other such touts were also arrested from District Headquarters Hospital, Bolangir, on 26th  September morning, said Director General of Police (DGP) B K Sharma. "As part of our sustained efforts to weed out fixers, police arrested 5 middlemen cheating patients in DH Hospital, Bolangir. On the basis of FIRs, they are being forwarded to court. Further investigation to identify others in the operation continues," Sharma said in a Twitter post.

"The accused were influencing some patients and their kin for treatment at private hospitals. They were also demanding money for providing them medicines which are available at state hospital free of cost. Detailed investigation into the incident is underway and the number of arrests might go up," said Sambalpur SP Kanwar Vishal Singh. After arresting four persons from Capital Hospital in the city, the Twin City Police Commissioner Sudhanshu Sarangi has also requested citizens to report any such instance to the police.

A police officer said middlemen used to get 10 to 20 per cent of commission for sending patients to private nursing homes and diagnostic centres from government hospitals.