Excelsior Correspondent
RAMBAN, June 11: The family members, relatives and people held protest and blocked the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway at Maitra Chowk over the death of a minor boy, here today.
According to the reports, a minor boy identified as Vikram Singh (9), son of Anchal Singh, Ghagwal Parnote was admitted in District Hospital Ramban due to abdomen pain and was later referred to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Jammu for treatment with a doctor and family members.
As the minor developed acute abdomen pain, the ambulance on way to Jammu was taken to District Hospital Udhampur, where he failed to respond to the treatment and breathed his last.
The body of the deceased was brought back to his native village. As the news of the death of the minor boy spread, large number of people including family members and relatives of the boy blocked the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway near Maitra Chowk.
Keeping body of the minor boy on road, the protesting people raised slogans against Health Minister and District Administration. They alleged that there is acute shortage of specialized doctors in the District Hospital Ramban due to which the minor boy died.
They demanded posting of specialized doctors in the District Hospital, so as to avoid more deaths in the future. They also demanded probe in the death of the minor boy.
After getting information, ADC Ramban Angrez Singh Rana along with Additional SP Ramban Mushtaq Choudhary, Tehsildar Ramban and other officers from the District Administration rushed to the spot and assured the protestors of conducting a probe in the death of the minor boy.
District Administration also provided relief of Rs 10000 from District Red Cross Fund to the deceased family.
On the assurance, the protesting people dispersed and vehicular movement on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was restored.
Later, a team of doctors headed by CMO Dr Saifudin Khan, Medical Superintendent Dr DV Singh and Tehsildar Ramban Parmoud Kumar conducted autopsy of the deceased and handed over the body to family members for last rites.