Protests rock Kolkata hospital as student dies after being shifted
Nov 29, 2022
North 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], November 29 : Students of the National Institute For Locomotor Disabilities in Kolkata's Baranagar staged a protest on Tuesday against the management of the healthcare facility, alleging unavailability of emergency services.
The protest took place a day after a second-year medical student and hosteller, identified as Priyaranjan Singh, allegedly attempted suicide at the hostel on Monday night.
The protesting students alleged that Singh was brought to the National Institute For Locomotor Disabilities (Divyang Hospital) but was instead referred to the Sagore Dutta Hospital, located 4 kilometres away.
"He was declared brought dead (at Sagore Dutta Hospital)," one of the protesting students said.
The students complained that there was no emergency system in the hospital and the student lost his life while being taken to the nearby government hospital.
The students broke into a massive protest as word of Singh's death got out, forcing the hospital authorities to tremporarily suspend services.
As per a statement issued by the hospital administration, "Agitating students closed the main gate of the hospital and staged a protest."
Speaking on the protest, a officer of Baranagar police station said, "On receiving information, we rushed to the spot in a bid to end the protest but the agitating students started deomonstrating around us."
The director National Institute For Locomotor Disabilities, Dr PP Mahanti said the hospital administration accepted the demands of the students but they still refused to end their demonstration.
Mahanti further said that the claims of the students were legitimate as the infrastructure of the hospiral is 'flawed'.
However, he added, "This is not an emergency hospital."
