Rajouri: Five policemen were injured after students protesting against the non-availability of ambulance in District Hospital Rajouri clashed with police.
Reports said that hundreds of students of Government Post Graduate College Rajouri staged a protest in front of district hospital Rajouri over non availability of an ambulance for shifting a student who had fainted inside the college campus.
Tanveer Ahmed, they said, was taken to district hospital Rajouri after he fainted inside the campus, but was declared dead on arrival.
The students damaged the hospital property and pelted stones on police, resulting in injuries to five cops.
Meanwhile, District administration Rajouri issued a handout in this regard. The handout says that: “Tanveer Hussain S/O Mohd Hafiz R/O Nirojal, aged 18 years, a student of Govt Degree College, Rajouri died in College premises this morning after cardiac arrest. He was shifted to District Hospital where doctors declared him “brought dead”.
“A medical board comprised of 3 doctors was constituted for post-mortem in view of sudden death however during the preparation for post-mortem a group of students and locals forcibly shifted the body from hospital and blocked Rajouri-Thanamandi road staging a protest against alleged non-availability of ambulance. However, the body was moved out of hospital without post-mortem or completion of formalities by the doctors.”
“Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary along with Addl SP Muhammad Yousaf, ACR Abdul Qayoom Mir and other senior officer reached the spot and spoke to the agitating students. Deputy Commissioner conducted an enquiry about the matter and heard the representatives of students, doctors, college management and others. Dy Medical Superintendent informed that out of 5 ambulances available at DH 4 had been rushed to Jammu for shifting critical patient while in view of one ambulance deputed to workshop another ambulance was rushed from Manjakote and hospital management had to hand over the body and provide ambulance after completion of formalities but a group of youth forcibly took the body away. A police vehicle and ambulance deputed from Manjakote were also halted due to traffic jam created owing to road blockade.”
The hospital management reiterated that there was no negligence on part of doctors as Mr Tanveer Hussain was brought dead and the body was taken away without any exemption for post-mortem or completion of formalities. On formal request of parents and relatives of the deceased endorsed by the group of students and Principal GDC Rajouri the exemption was later granted by the District Magistrate. District Administration also provided an immediate assistance of Rs 50,000/- to the family for last rites of the deceased.
Meanwhile, after the body was dispatched to Village Nirojal a group of miscreants identified without uniform along with some students resorted to stone-pelting on police leaving police officials injured. To disperse the miscreants police used tear smokes. Hospital property worth more than Rs 5 Lakh was damaged by students and some miscreants for which identification process has been started for recovery of losses and legal action. Few vehicles were also damaged. Some political activists were also found involved under the garb of students and are being identified for action.”
