2 Women Died, Mob Vandalized Nursing Home, Doctors’ Residences

Mob rampage in front of Ranaghat Avenue Nursing home. Picture by TITO CHAKRABORTY

Ranaghat, April 4: A private nursing home in Nadia’s Ranaghat and homes of its two doctors were ransacked today by an mob accusing negligence in treatment of two women who were treated at the nursing home earlier but admitted to Jawaharlal Nehru hospital in Kalyani where they eventually died early in the morning.

Both the deceased women were earlier under treatment at Ranaghat based Avenue Nursing home. One of the women was referred by the nursing home last night. The other discharged from it six months ago, but alleged negligence.

The relatives of the two deceased today got in touch in Kalyani and brought the two bodies from JNM hospital to the Avenue Nursing home located on Subhash Avenue in Ranaghat and demanded compensation before ransacking the nursing home and homes of tow doctors, who live in nearby areas.

The reception and the front office was completely ransacked. The mob broke doors, window panels, furniture, and display board of the nursing home, beaten up its employees before attacking the homes of the doctors. The mob ransacked the entire ground floor of the residence of gynecologist Ashoke Moitra, smashed and overturned his car. Later another section of mob vandalized gynecologist Nilanjan Mitra’s house and his chamber until some local residence put resistance against the mob and called police.

The patients who had reached the nursing home in the morning hurried for shelter as a mob of over 100 people entered inside and chased away the security guards and other officials.

The rampage went on for more than an hour in the morning until a large combat force led by additional SP Swati Bhangalia rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

Police recovered the bodies sent for post mortem.

The nursing home authorities rubbished the allegation of negligence claiming that one of the patients was discharged long ago, while the other was referred to the JNM hospital for better post operative care.

The Ranaghat police meanwhile, started investigation into death of the two women allegedly caused due to negligence of the nursing home and the two doctors on the basis of complaint lodged by the victim’s families.

Additional SP (Kalyani) Swati Bhangalia said: “We have received complaints from family of the two deceased women. There are certain allegations against the nursing home and the doctors, which are being looked into. We will talk to the nursing home authority about the allegation”

Meanwhile, the nursing home authorities and the two doctors have lodged separate complaints against the unidentified family members of the two deceased women Namita Das (31), a resident of Ainshtala in Ranaghat and Anita Pal (28), a resident of Habibpur. However, no person was arrested in this connection till the evening.

Family members said Namita delivered girl child on October 15 last year through caesarian section under care of gynecologist Ashoke Moitra. But, she developed complications later, when the nursing home refused to admit her.

Namita’s husband Ganesh, a weaver said: “My wife was suffering from continuous abdominal pain with discharge of fluid. We persuaded the doctor and the nursing home on several occasion for a follow up treatment, but they asked me to deposit Rupees ten thousand first of which I was not capable at that time. So I admitted her to Ranaghat sub divisional hospital on April 1, which referred my wife to JNM hospital. A day later On Monday (April 3) she was admitted there, but succumbed this morning”.

Accused Gynecologist Ashoke Moitra said: “There was no complication during the delivery done in October last year. I also conducted ligation as told by the woman. After few months, her husband told me about problem. I told him to bring the patient, but she was never brought in for examination. I have no idea what complications she developed during the last six months”.

Ranaghat hospital sources said that Namita was suffering from infection and was in a serious state. “We referred her to JNM hospital on April 1 when she admitted, but her family actually shifted her on April 3. This delay could be fatal”, a doctor said.

JNM hospital sources said that Namita died a little after a surgery last night.

On the other hand, Anita Pal, a resident of Habibpur BDO office para, admitted to Avenue nursing home on Monday morning for hysterectomy surgery. Gynecologist Nilanjan Mitra conducted the surgery in the afternoon. However, later her condition started deteriorating.

Anita’s husband Asit Pal, a small businessman said: “She was vomiting and bleeding continuously. I repeatedly drawn the nursing home officials and doctors, but they did nothing. At about 11pm they referred her to JNM hospital in Kalyani, where she died few hours after admission”.

Accused doctor Nilanjan Mitra said: “The patient died apparently due to loss of blood. The surgery was successful, but there was huge loss of blood occurred during the surgery. We arranged two bottles blood for the patient as a precautionary measure. Another two bottles were arranged later by the patient party, which was also infused to the patient. Nevertheless, she required more blood which was difficult to arrange late at night in Ranaghat. So I decided to refer her to JNM hospital so that blood could be easily available and infused to the patient. But, unfortunately today I heard that the patient died there”.

Owner of the nursing home Anjana Kundu said: “We are in no way responsible for death of the two women. One of the deceased women was discharged from our nursing home six months ago and since then she was never treated here again. For the other woman, we tried our best and kept arrangement of blood. However, eventually the patient’s requirement become more for which we had to shift her for better care. The vandalism is preplanned and incited due to recent media reports”

Share the news