*DC orders magisterial inquiry
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 19: The family members, relatives and neighbours of a man who had died last evening at Gandhi Nagar Hospital due to alleged negligence of doctors and paramedical staff, today staged a sit-in protest along with the body of the deceased at Bakshi Nagar Chowk demanding stringent action against the hospital staff besides compensation for the family and a permanent Government job to one of the family members.
According to the reports, the deceased identified as Anil Kumar Gupta (45) son of Pran Nath Gupta of Bakshi Nagar, who was an auto driver last afternoon fainted near Satwari due to high blood pressure following which some unknown people shifted him to Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar at about 2 pm but the hospital staff including doctors on duty neither informed the family of the deceased not provided him any treatment due to which the man died at about 6.30 pm.
The family members, who reached the hospital at about 8 pm, alleged that they were informed only after the death of their patient and thereafter the doctors and other hospital staff tried to cover up their error. The family members protested the alleged negligence of the hospital staff following which a complaint was registered against the two doctors and paramedical staff on duty.
Today on the demand of the family, a board was constituted to conduct post mortem of the body of the deceased at Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu and soon after this the family members, neighbours and relatives of the deceased staged a sit-in protest at Bakshi Nagar Chowk and disrupted vehicular traffic for many hours.
The protesting people were demanding stringent action against the hospital staff for negligence, adequate compensation for the family and a permanent job to one of the family members, as the deceased was the only bread earner for the family.
On getting information, senior officers of police, civil administration and Health Department including SP City, SK Chauhan, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Anuradha Gupta and Deputy Director, Health Department, Jammu, Dr Ajay Gupta also reached the spot and tried to pacify the protesters but all in vain.
Later, DIG Jammu, Ashkoor Wani and DC Jammu, Simrandeep Singh also reached the spot and the latter announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the family and a Helper’s job in Health Department. DIG Jammu also informed the protestors that a case under 304-A has been registered against two doctors of the hospital namely Dr Geetu and Dr Rashmi and other paramedical staff on duty, in police station Gandhi Nagar and four persons including two doctors and two members of paramedical staff have been detained for questioning.
Meanwhile, MLA Jammu West, Sat Sharma also announced a compensation of Rs 50,000 for the family of the deceased.
When contacted, Medical Superintendent, Gandhi Nagar Hospital, Dr Younis, said, “We have suspended two doctors namely Dr Rashmi and Dr Geetu besides two pharmacists and a nursing orderly on the complaint of the family of the deceased and a departmental inquiry has been initiated in the case”.
Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Rifat Kohli, when contacted, said that DC Jammu has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the family and offered a helper’s job to one of the family member. Besides, a magisterial inquiry has been initiated into the case, she added.
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