Airport doctor removed after passenger bitten by rat:Passenger lacked proper medical treatment; no action taken against pest control agency

The management at Indore Airport has taken action following an incident in which a passenger was bitten by a rat. Dr Harshvardhan Singh, posted in the airport’s medical room, has been removed from his position and issued a notice. He is accused of not showing sensitivity while treating the affected passenger. Alongside this, pest control measures have been intensified at the airport premises. However, no action has yet been taken against Pest Control of India (PCI), the agency responsible for maintaining cleanliness at Indore Airport. Airport Director VK Seth stated that all possible assistance will be provided to the affected passenger and confirmed that a special campaign to eliminate rats is underway. Congress demands cleaning agency blacklisted The incident has drawn strong criticism from the Congress party. Party spokesperson Amit Chaurasia remarked that the episode has tarnished the image of ‘Clean Indore’ nationally. He demanded that the cleaning agency responsible for the airport’s maintenance be blacklisted immediately. Rat entered passenger’s pants The incident occurred on September 23. Arun Modi, a software developer from Bhopal, was travelling to Bangalore on IndiGo flight 6E 6739, accompanied by his wife. Arriving at the airport around 1 PM, the couple waited in the departure hall on the ground floor. While resting on a recliner, a rat entered Arun’s pants, biting him behind the knee. Arun managed to catch the rat, while the airport staff rushed to assist and took him to the medical room. Lack of rabies and tetanus injections Arun stated that the airport medical room did not have a rabies injection, prompting him to contact his doctor for guidance. A prescription was provided, allowing him to get the rabies vaccine after reaching Bangalore. When he requested a tetanus shot, the staff initially refused, and the injection was only administered after intervention by the airport manager. Previous complaints about rat infestation Passengers have repeatedly reported sightings of rats at Indore Airport. Videos have surfaced showing rodents near food counters, and complaints have been made regarding mosquitoes, cockroaches, and stray dogs. Recently, passengers also highlighted unclean washrooms on social media. In response, airport management promptly undertook cleaning operations. It is noteworthy that the incident coincides with “Swachhata Hi Seva Pakhwada” (Cleanliness is Service Fortnight), being observed at Indore Airport from September 17 to October 2, marking the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. ​