Tension gripped the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital today after relatives of a stillborn child alleged medical negligence and ransacked the hospital premises.

Later, an FIR was lodged by the hospital authorities and five people have been arrested.

Tanusree Mondal (28), a resident of Sodhpur in Kolkata, was admitted to the hospital yesterday at 1.55 pm. According to hospital authorities, the woman gave birth to a stillborn baby today at 7.30 am.

Hearing the news of the ‘child’s death’ at about 9.40 am irate relatives of Tanusree started hurling verbal abuses at the medical staff alleging negligence. Then the relatives turned violent and ransacked the labour room and the waiting room of the gyneacological ward and smashed window panes. The mob even manhandled a senior doctor, Vivekananda Das, and a junior doctor, Chaitali Sarkar.

Policemen from Tala station reached the spot and brought the situation under control. After the FIR was lodged, five persons, including Tanusree’s husband, Sukhen Mondal, were arrested.

Relatives, meanwhile, alleged that the hospital staff had not taken care of the woman during labour. They alleged that the doctors even allegedly forced Tanusree to have a ceasarian when she could have had a normal delivery.

They also said that the news of the baby’s death had reached the family late.

“We have inquired into the incident. There has been no negligence on the part of our medical staff. The baby died when the umbilical cord of the mother got entangled with the baby’s throat. However, relatives of the patient unnecessarily created a ruckus, ransacked our property and manhandled our staff,” said Superintendent of the hospital Lalit Kumar Baid.

... contd.