Kolkata doctor's rape case: Youth's death at RG Kar hospital ‘without treatment’ sparks row; Abhishek Banerjee reacts
Trinamool Congress's Kunal Ghosh claimed that Bikram Bhattacharjee did not receive proper treatment. RG Kar hospital refuted the allegations.
The death of 28-year-old Bikram Bhattacharjee from West Bengal's Konnagar who died at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Friday after being hit by a truck has sparked a controversy. The incident took place a day after the state health department reportedly had to close down help desks at all the five medical colleges in Kolkata following the agitation of ‘Joint Platform of Doctors’. The youth from Hooghly’s Konnagar was brought to RG Kar Medical College and died allegedly due to non-treatment at the same hospital.
Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh claimed on social media, citing media reports, that Bikram Bhattacharjee did not receive proper treatment. However, the hospital refuted these allegations.
Follow Kolkata doctor rape-murder case live updates
Although Bikram Bhattacharjee's family has not filed any formal complaint with the hospital or police, Lalbazar police sources told The Times of India that a general diary entry was made.
TMC MP and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also reacted to the incident. “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 valid, I urge them to protest in a way that doesn’t disrupt essential medical services. 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,” Abhishek Banerjee wrote on X.
Junior doctors had claimed that help desks were sending across the wrong message that health services were not available at hospitals due to junior doctors’ cease-work.
Also Read | Sandip Ghosh had ‘criminal nexus’ with co-accused: CBI on RG Kar corruption case
What happened to the youth?
Local reported claimed that the victim was initially taken to a hospital in Serampore before being transferred to RG Kar Medical College. There are allegations that the victim was left unattended for several hours and was not properly admitted to the hospital. Family members reportedly claimed that they were told there were no available doctors, and that the patient would need to be moved elsewhere. Due to excessive bleeding, the victim lost consciousness and eventually died.
Kunal Ghosh addressed the incident on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, urging the protesting doctors to return to work. Notably, the Supreme Court had already called on the agitating doctors to resume their duties.
A hospital official stated, "The patient was promptly attended to by emergency medical officers and senior staff from the surgery and orthopaedic departments. Despite receiving immediate treatment, his injuries left him hemodynamically unstable, and doctors were unable to save him."
Bhattacharjee, who had been referred from Serampore hospital, suffered multiple fractures.