Protests have erupted at the campus of the National Institute for Locomotor Disabilities (NILD) in Baranagar, West Bengal, over the death of a student. The student was found lying unconscious in his hostel room and after being rushed to a hospital, the officials declared him dead on arrival.
The protesting students alleged that NILD failed to take prompt measures to arrange medical aid for Priyaranjan Singh, the demised student, "who could have been saved". The agitators claimed that the institute authorities took no timely initiative to attend to Singh, despite help being sought by his fellow students, as per a report by PTI.
A section of students locked the main gate of the institute, leaving staff and patients waiting outside. Some of them were seen treating patients outside the institute gate. A police team has been deployed at the spot to avoid any untoward situation. One of the police officers said that a complaint has been lodged by the institute and the circumstances that led to the student's death were being looked into.
Singh was taken to the nearby Sagar Dutta Hospital by the students. However, a spokesperson from NILD stated that measures were also being taken by the institute to take him to the hospital in a vehicle. He added that in the past Singh had complained of ragging against a senior and "requisite action was taken against the accused". "Ours is a rehab centre. We don't have critical care facilities. Priyaranjan was found unconscious in his room. On finding out, we also immediately made arrangements to take him to Sagar Dutta Medical College. We are trying to reason with the students," the spokesperson said, as per PTI.
"We had to make arrangements to take him to a nearby hospital on a motorcycle. Had prompt action been taken, his life could have been saved. This is a well-known central institute. Why shouldn't there be critical care facilities?" Saptarshi Singha, one of the agitating students said. NILD is meant for training students to become physiotherapists, orthotists and prosthetists. The orthopaedically challenged patients are also given basic care at the central institute.