User Login Signup Now
Username :
Password    :
Forgot Password?

PM regrets man's death at hospital, family seeks compensation (Lead)

Chandigarh/New Delhi, Nov 4

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday wrote to the family of a man who died at the PGIMER hospital in Chandigarh for want of timely treatment during his visit to the hospital and expressed his regrets. The victim's family has demanded compensation and a job for his kin.

"The prime minister wrote to his family and expressed regret (over the death)," an official at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) told IANS.

The official added that the prime minister said the death occurred under unfortunate circumstances.

Sumit Prakash Verma, 32, died Tuesday after the vehicle carrying him to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh could not enter the emergency area in time for treatment, his relatives alleged. The prime minister was at the time visiting the medical college and hospital for its 30th convocation.

The family of Verma, who was suffering from a major kidney ailment and had breathing trouble, alleged that their vehicle that had come from Ambala, 45 km from Chandigarh, was stopped at different gates of the institute by overzealous securitymen, leading to wastage of crucial time

The victim's family, however, Wednesday sought to absolve the prime minister of responsibility for Verma's death and blamed his elite special protection group (SPG) and other security agencies for the incident.

"We don't hold him (prime minister) responsible. It is his security which is at fault," one of Verma's relatives said.

Verma was Wednesday cremated by the family. He is survived by his wife and two minor children. His family has sought compensation for his death and a job for his kin.

"We want the government to do something for the family. He was the only bread-winner. What will they do now?" Verma's nephew Dheeraj said after the cremation in Ambala.

Soon after Verma's death, the PMO sought a report from PGIMER on the circumstances. The hospital, however, said that no one had been stopped from entering the premises.

Authorities and police have denied that the stringent security had anything to do with his death. Tight security measures were in place and some roads and parking areas were blocked by the police during the prime minister's six-hour visit to the city.

Many complained that they could not access the hospital even as the prime minister was telling PGIMER faculty and doctors during the institute's 30th convocation to reach out to the common person.

As the controversy intensified, PGIMER's chief security officer P.C. Sharma said that during the prime minister's visit, no patient was stopped from entering the institute, regarded as one of the best public sector medical facilities in north-western India.

"They could have been diverted to the wrong gate. No one was stopped from entering the PGIMER," Sharma told IANS.

The Chandigarh police also claimed that the patient's car was not stopped. A police spokesperson said the vehicle was, in fact, escorted to the emergency wing of the PGIMER.

Police claim that the PGIMER emergency catered to 32 patients between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tuesday compared to an average of 22 patients since Oct 31. The prime minister was in the complex from 11.30 a.m. till 2.30 p.m.

An executive magistrate here has recorded Verma's wife's statement.

Last updated on Nov 4th, 2009 at 18:53 pm IST--IANS


Possibly related news:
By che at Nov 4, 2009 8:30 PM IST

death is pretty scary!
http://www.petsalute.com/pictures-of-doxie

Report
Enter Your Name and Email below and Post your comment
NameEmail:
Comment:
News Search

Other News Headlines

3,509 Orissa farmers committed suicide in 11 years
Bhubaneswar, Nov 21

The Orissa agriculture minister Saturday conceded that as many as 3,509 farmers have committed suicide in the state in the last 11 years.

India to have its first arbitration centre soon
New Delhi, Nov 21

With the aim of reducing the number of pending arbitration cases in India, a new arbitration centre will be inaugurated in the Delhi High Court complex next week.

Rohtang tragedy: Nine bodies brought to base camp (Second Lead)
Manali, Nov 21

All the nine retrieved bodies that were buried in the snow near the Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district were brought to the base camp Saturday evening, an official said. The rescue operations for the people frozen to death started early Saturday.

Police jeep hits vehicle that Priyanka drove (Lead)
Amethi (Uttar Pradesh), Nov 21

A police jeep escorting Priyanka Gandhi hit a green Qualis that was part of her cavalcade here. The vehicle is said to be her brother and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's favourite and had been driven by Priyanka just a day earlier.

Congress may hush up Koda scam like Bofors scam: Rajnath Singh
Ranchi, Nov 21

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh Saturday charged that the Congress may hush up the Madhu Koda scam like the Bofors kickback case.

Recently Commented Articles

Apex court panel defers decision on Justice Dinakaran's elevation
i want 2 join
bervin on 21/11/09 at 08:46 pm

Sun TV Network to launch new game show
i am very eager to participate in deal or no deal for registration procedure pls call:9488561903
saranya on 21/11/09 at 06:01 pm

Sun TV Network to launch new game show
i am very interested to participate in deal or no deala for registration procedure please call...
jerin on 21/11/09 at 02:58 pm

Five killed in private jet crash near Minsk
your service is very modern and development Russian world
usa private jet service on 21/11/09 at 02:34 pm

Sun TV Network to launch new game show
I am very interested to participate in deala no deala game show in sun tv. pls send me the...
SHANKAR CD on 21/11/09 at 12:24 pm

Latest Forum Topics

When We Do Not Know How to Pray!
[FONT="Arial"]Late one evening, a poor farmer on his way back from the market found himself without...
21/11/09 at 02:20 pm< | 0 Comment(s)

Intelligent people
[COLOR=Navy]thats tru i guess. and that seems to be the reason we see so many stories that pictures...
21/11/09 at 02:17 pm< | 4 Comment(s)

The Star Fish Story
[FONT="Arial"]Once a man was walking along a beach. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day....
21/11/09 at 02:11 pm< | 0 Comment(s)

Ageing parents - Things 1 need to know for an emergency
[quote=bindunair;3721][FONT=Arial][FONT=Arial] [LIST] [*]It only takes a few minutes to collect and...
21/11/09 at 02:07 pm< | 3 Comment(s)

Risks
[FONT="Arial"]To laugh is to risk appearing the fool, To weep is to risk appearing...
21/11/09 at 01:58 pm< | 0 Comment(s)

Thought of the day!
All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.
21/11/09 at 01:54 pm< | 85 Comment(s)

Word association game..
Doctor
21/11/09 at 01:52 pm< | 145 Comment(s)

Change 1 Letter..
Nail -> Mail Is rearranging the letters allowed?
21/11/09 at 01:51 pm< | 125 Comment(s)