Thiruvananthapuram: A government hospital in the capital city has allegedly extracted electricity charges from a bedridden patient.

Vellanad-native Pradeep has said that he was made to pay Rs 100 as the power charge for two days by the District Hospital at Nedumangad.

Incidentally, Pradeep used his personal table fan as the ceiling fan over his bed in the hospital does not work.

"When I complained that the fan was not working, the hospital people told me to bring a fan from my house," 39-year-old Pradeep told Manorama News.

He says the authorities made him file a written request seeking permission to plug in his personal fan. But it was when they were asked to pay up for the power consumption that the family was surprised.

Pradeep was left paralysed after a bike accident. He was admitted to the hospital for further treatment. He was admitted to the surgery ward.

According to Manorama News, at least four of the 12 fans in the ward are nonfunctional. The hospital superintendent has said he was unaware of the incident.