A crowd ransacked a hospital in outer Delhi on Tuesday after doctors at the facility referred a minor rape survivor to another hospital for medical tests, Hindustan Times reported.

Relatives of a six-year-old girl who was allegedly raped earlier in the day damaged furniture chairs and attacked guards at the Maharshi Valmiki Hospital in Bawana area after the doctors there said they did not have the facilities to examine if the child was sexually assaulted.

Medical Superintendent of Maharshi Valmiki Hospital, Rajiv Sagar, said a scuffle broke out between relatives of the child, security and medical staff of the hospital around 6 pm, News18 reported.

Sagar said the hospital followed protocol to examine the child and then sent her to the labour room. “However, some more detailed tests were needed to conduct her medical examination. After 4 pm, our emergency services are closed, [so] we referred the patient to a Dr BSA Hospital, about 8-10 km from here, after which the crowd went berserk and ransacked the furniture and other properties. Our staff also ran to escape the angry mob of villagers.”

Sagar told Hindustan Times that guards posted at other departments of the hospital rushed to the casualty department to manage the crowd. A few guards were injured in the fight. Sagar said a first information report is likely to be filed on Wednesday morning. “For now, all emergency services at the hospital will have to be stopped.”

The Delhi Police said no formal complaint was filed till Tuesday night. “The girl was brought to the hospital for a medical examination after the parents alleged in the afternoon that a man from the neighbourhood had raped her,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Gaurav Sharma. “The problem began after there was some miscommunication between the family of the survivor and the hospital guards.

Sharma said a case of rape under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act has been registered and a medical examination has been completed. “The report will confirm if the minor was raped or not,” Sharma said.