Scrolling down the Facebook page often shows many sharing photographs of missing people to let them find their near and dear ones. But the use of the social media to find out family members of an unidentified person with an injury on his leg with maggots is a rare move that has once again proved the humane face of the West Bengal Police.
The police are desperately trying to find out the family members of the person, who seems to be in his early 60s, as he needs continuous nursing even after getting discharged from hospital to recover completely. At the same time, the police are also keeping their fingers crossed as the bitter truth of "throwing ill parents out" might also come to light after they manage to get the identification of the person.
Some people had found the man in his early 60's lying unconscious in front of a sweet shop at Sodepur More under the jurisdiction of Khardah police station in North 24-Parganas on Wednesday afternoon. The good samaritans had informed the police. Reaching the spot, the police found the man surrounded by local people. He was clad in a new ash colour round neck t-shirt and lungi. He was not even in a condition to be taken to a hospital with maggots in his legs. Finally, the policemen brought their own stretchers and took the man to College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital in their car.
If the days would have been like that of the Left Front regime, then even doctors in government-run hospitals would not have been ready to admit such a person. The policemen thanked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as the things have changed now following her strict directions and doctors in the state-run hospitals no more refuse to admit anyone for treatment if needed. Following proper treatment in the hospital, the man has regained his senses but is not in a condition to speak properly to tell that what had led to such a situation. Doctors told to the police that the man had not eaten for the past three to four days before he was rescued by the police.
The police have initiated the desperate search for his family members as they were told by the doctors that the patient needs proper nursing at least for a couple of months to make him fit. The other reason is to let him go back to his near and dear ones.
Mrityunjay Banerjee, inspector-in-charge of Khardah police station, had uploaded the photographs on Facebook on Thursday night and wrote: "Yesterday (Wednesday) we shifted one 55/60 years old person to Sagar Dutta Hospital, Belghoria who was found in unattended/unconscious condition by the side of BT Rd near Sodepur More with serious old injuries on both legs (large size maggot formed). Today (Thursday) I visited him but failed to ascertain his version. Please contact Khardah PS (033 25532859) regarding his identity."