Mumbai, Jun 24 (IANS): In a shocking incident,a patient who was bitten by a rat while undergoing treatment in the ICU of a BMC hospital, passed away late on Wednesday.

Shrinivas Yellappa, 24, was admitted for liver complications three days ago and was on a ventilator in the ICU of the Rajawadi Hospital, Ghatkopar.

On Tuesday, his sister saw a bandage below his left eye and created a ruckus when informed that a rat was suspected to have nibbled the patient on the cheek.

Later, doctors and civic authorities claimed that the rat-bite was not serious and would heal soon, but the patient's family was not convinced.

Mayor Kishori Pednekar, who ordered a probe into the incident, suspected that since the ICU is on the ground floor, the rat may have sneaked in unnoticed when the door was opened by one of the staffers.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Mumbai head Ruben Mascarenhas slammed the BMC for failing to protect patients from such happenings and demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.

AAP national spokesperson Preeti Sharma-Menon termed the death of the youth as "murder" on the part of the BMC and demanded that those found responsible besides the entire civic brass including the Mayor, BMC Commissioner, and others should be booked on charges of murder.

Criticising the Mayor for her statement, Mascarenhas asked whether this is the "Mumbai Model" as hospitals are under attack by rats.

The victim's family said despite their repeated pleas, the staff at the hospital refused to co-operate with them on the issue.

Earlier this afternoon, BJP's Leader of Opposition in the Council, Pravin Darekar attacked the BMC for its failure to protect the patients while the AAP organised a symbolic "Undir Protest" (Rat Protest) in which its activists raised slogans against the BMC.