The death of a 28-year-old patient at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Friday has further intensified the already chaotic situation over the recent rape and murder of an on-duty trainee doctor that has triggered widespread outrage in the city, state and beyond since August 9.
The patient's mother Kabita Bhattacharjee allegedly cited medical negligence and non-availability of doctors as the reason behind the death of her son Bikram Bhattacharjee. As per reports, the patient was admitted to RG Kar Hospital after being run over by a truck.
"A lot of time was wasted. Within that time, his surgery should have been completed. But there was no doctor available, not even an emergency doctor," she said, as per reports.
RG Kar refutes claim of medical negligence
Refuting the family's claim of medical negligence, Medical Superintendent cum Vice Principal (MSVP) Dr Saptarshi Chatterjee said that Bikram was immediately taken to trauma care when he was brought to RG Kar on Friday morning.
"His two limbs had major injuries. We also found that there was a major injury to his head. He was taken for a CT scan. While the CT scan was being planned, Bikram was gasping to breathe. He passed away and was declared clinically dead," Dr Chatterjee said.
Taking it to social media, Ex-Trinamool Congress MP and party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh claimed that the patient did not get treatment for three hours.
Commenting on the death of the patient, Diamond Harbour MP and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said the incident was a "consequence" of the ongoing protest by doctors. "While the demands of the junior doctors are both fair and valid, I urge them to protest in a way that doesn't disrupt essential medical services," he tweeted.
RG Kar doctor rape and murder: The latest developments
According to the initial findings of the CBI probe into the financial misconduct allegations, former RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh has been operating a "criminal nexus" along with other co-accused for "wrongful gains". The two arrested vendors had been granted the contracts of RG Kar Hospital because of their proximity with Ghosh. The probe agency is also investigating Ghosh's security guard as "he was the person who used to contact vendors to sell the biomedical waste of the hospital".
On Friday, the Supreme Court dismissed plea of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital's former principal Sandip Ghosh challenging the Calcutta High Court order.
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Friday referred the anti-rape Bill passed by the assembly to President Droupadi Murmu for her consideration, a Raj Bhavan official said.
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday conducted raids at four residences, including that of Ghosh, who had been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation for financial irregularities at the hospital.
Recently the victim's family accused Kolkata Police of attempting to cover up the crime last month by hastily creating the body and allegedly forcing them to say that they were satisfied by the actions of the administration in a video.
To mark the one-month completion of the widespread protest seeking justice for the RG Kar Hospital incident, on September 8, thousands of people are expected to join a successful third edition of the "Reclaim The Night" campaign.
