West Bengal: Kin of deceased patient attack junior doctors

Kolkata: Another incident of doctors being attacked was witnessed at the government-owned Chittaranjan National Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata .The incident took place when agitated relatives of a patient who died during treatment got into a physical brawl with the attending junior practitioners. Following which the doctors attending on the deceased patient refused to hand over the dead body to the relatives, demanding action against the attacking relatives.

The relatives of deceased Papri Mukherjee(33) who was wheeled into the hospital with breathing problems on Friday, alleged that three members of the family were locked away in a room and were reportedly freed only after police intervention. They were later frisked away by the police in the face of mounting tensions.

“A junior doctor was slapped and beaten up by the relative. Another doctor who tried to intervene was also attacked. Following this, junior doctors did not allow three relatives of the patient to leave a room,” revealed an intern doctor.

S Mukherjee, Papri’s husband, elaborating to the Indian Express said, “She died around 3.30 am on Saturday. When we asked the doctors what went wrong, they did not give us a proper reply. Some people might have lost patience and indulged in a fight… I am not aware of it. But when I went to take the body, the doctors refused to hand it over. Around 12.30 pm, we finally got the body.”

The Hospital Superintendent, Pit Baran Chakraborty , denying allegations said, “The allegations are not correct. There was some delay in issuing the death certificate. In fact, after we released the body, the family refused to take it and started protesting. They were demanding that the three people who had beaten up junior doctors be released by the police who had taken them away.” According to the Policethat cross FIRs have been lodged at Beniyapur police station.