Rajganj, 14th May: 62-year-old patient of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), who went missing from Biswa Bangla Krirangan SARI/COVID Hospital, Jalpaiguri on Thursday, was found dead at the Rajganj Rural Hospital on Friday.
It is to recall, the elderly patient, a resident of the East Batabari area of Chalsa in Jalpaiguri district, was admitted to Jalpaiguri Biswa Bangla Krirangan COVID Hospital on May 11. After being unable to communicate with him over the phone, his family members reached the hospital and found out that the patient was missing and had left his mobile phone behind. A complaint was lodged to the District Chief Health Officer on behalf of the family.
Meanwhile, about 36 kilometres away, the locals of the Fatapukur area of Rajganj spotted an elderly man wandering around in the evening. After a while, the man fell on the ground and was very feeble. The people rushed him to the Rajganj Rural Hospital, where he passed away.
After receiving information about the incident, the family of the deceased reached Rajganj Rural Hospital today. The body was taken to Baitarani crematorium in Sahudangi for the last rites.
“My elder brother was admitted to the Biswa Bangla COVID Hospital in Jalpaiguri. But due to lack of proper security, he went missing. The hospital management is solely responsible for my brother’s death,” the mourning brother of the deceased said. He further alleged that several patients are frequently disappearing from the said hospital.
It is to be noted, on Mat 12, another elderly man from Belakoba, admitted to the Jalpaiguri COVID Hospital he ran away from the hospital fearing his death. He was allegedly deprived of proper food at the hospital and was terrified after seeing the situation there.
Fortunately, two social activists spotted him on the way and questioned him. They did not take much time to figure out that the man was COVID infected. They then took him to a health centre in Pandapara.