Docs beat up pregnant woman’s father, then go on strike

Statesman News Service
BURDWAN, June 6: Junior doctors of Burdwan Medical College and Hospital were accused of beating up the father of a pregnant woman who died yesterday at the hospital allegedly due to medical negligence. When the victim's father lodged a complaint against the doctors, they went on indefinite strike from this morning.
The BMCH, which has failed to negotiate with the striking doctors, has decided to seek a judicial probe.
According to reports, a 28 year-old pregnant woman, Puja Mahanta was rushed to the BMCH at about 8 p.m. yesterday in critical condition by her father, Mr Banshi Mahanta, a wage labourer. Puja, according to her kin, was initially refused treatment by the doctors who wanted her to go back home as her delivery time was yet to come. The victim's mother said: "She was virtually gasping for breath and couldn't be taken back home. After about 30 minutes, the doctors agreed to admit her.” But Puja was allegedly left unattended for about three hours and she finally succumbed at 1 a.m. Mr Mahanta, a resident of Ranisayar locality, accosted the physician in-charge Dr Shankar Nag and blamed the death on his negligence. Describing the aftermath, Mr Mahanta said: "The moment I told them that my daughter died of their negligence, Dr Nag and a group of junior doctors dragged me into a room and started beating me up. They tore off my shirt and a few (of them) set lighted cigarettes on my back and neck.” The junior doctors immediately called a strike from Friday morning. About 150 junior doctors joined the stir.
Dr Tamal Kanti Ghosh, superintendent, BMCH said that the hospital was trying to convince the junior doctors to resume work but they refused to obey. He said: “We have decided to seek a judicial probe into the charges brought against the doctors here.”