Kolkata: 28-Year-Old Dies At RG Kar Hospital, Mother Alleges ‘No Doctor Available’ Amid Protests

Kolkata News: A 28-year-old man died at RG Kar Hospital after being run over by a truck, with his mother alleging unavailability of doctors. Hospital officials deny the claim.

File Photo | RG Kar Hospital officials denied the allegations that a 28-year-old man died due to unavailability of doctors.

Source : PTI

Kolkata News: A 28-year-old man from Konnagar, Hooghly, died during treatment at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, with his mother accusing the hospital of medical negligence and lack of available doctors. The man, Bikram Bhattachajee, had been admitted to the hospital after being run over by a truck and succumbed to his injuries on Friday.

Bikram's mother, Kabita Bhattachajee, claimed that doctors were not present in the Emergency ward, leading to a delay in her son's treatment, India Today reported. "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 was reported as saying.

However, RG Kar Hospital officials denied the allegations. Medical Superintendent cum Vice Principal Dr Saptarshi Chatterjee said that Bikram was immediately taken to trauma care upon arrival at the hospital. "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 explained, as quoted by India Today's report.

The incident has garnered reactions from the ruling Trinamool Congress, coinciding with ongoing protests by resident doctors at RG Kar Hospital over the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor last month. The doctors are demanding enhanced safety at workplaces and justice for the deceased victim. The Supreme Court has also urged the agitating doctors to resume their duties.

‘Preventable Neglect Tantamount To Culpable Homicide’: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee

Former Trinamool Congress MP and party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh claimed that the patient did not receive treatment for three hours. He shared on social media, "According to media sources: A 28-year-old youth died at RG Kar without treatment. It is alleged that from 9 am to 12 noon, the patient was left unattended. He met with an accident in Konnagar, where a truck ran over his two legs. He was referred to Kolkata from Srirampur, but no treatment was provided."

সংবাদমাধ্যম সূত্রে:
RGKarএ বিনা চিকিৎসায় মৃত ২৮ বছর বয়সী যুবক। অভিযোগ, 9am থেকে বেলা 12 পর্যন্ত পেশেন্ট পড়েছিল। তারপরও তাকে ভর্তি নেওয়া হয়নি। কোন্ননগরে এক্সিডেন্ট হয় ওই যুবকের। দুই পায়ের উপর থেকে লরি চলে যায়। শ্রীরামপুর থেকে রেফার করা হয় কলকাতায়। কিন্তু চিকিৎসা হয়নি।

— Kunal Ghosh (@KunalGhoshAgain) September 6, 2024

Diamond Harbour MP and Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee also weighed in, attributing the incident to the ongoing doctor protests. "A young boy from Konnagar lost his life today following a road accident, after BLEEDING FOR 3 HOURS WITHOUT RECEIVING MEDICAL ATTENTION, a consequence of the ongoing protest by doctors in response to the #RGKar incident," Banerjee tweeted. While acknowledging the legitimacy of the junior doctors' demands, he urged them to protest in a way that does not disrupt essential medical services.

A young boy from Konnagar lost his life today following a road accident, after BLEEDING FOR 3 HOURS WITHOUT RECEIVING MEDICAL ATTENTION, a consequence of the ongoing protest by doctors in response to the #RGKar incident. While the demands of the junior doctors are both fair and… pic.twitter.com/1wJBVhPP7y

— Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) September 6, 2024

"Allowing a death due to preventable neglect is tantamount to culpable homicide. If the protest has to continue, it should be done constructively, with empathy and humanity, ensuring no more lives are put at risk through inaction or neglect," he added.

Although Bikram's family has not yet filed a formal complaint with the police, a general diary entry has reportedly been made, as per the report.