Killer toto mows down minor in Belur

Kolkata: In a tragic incident, a 6-year-old girl from Howrah, whose rib cage was fractured following a road accident, has been denied treatment by three hospitals including two state-run ones, on the grounds of poor infrastructure.

The victim finally succumbed to her injuries on Wednesday night, after being taken to NRS Medical College and Hospital. Ekta Sharma (6), a resident of Howrah, was hit by a speeding toto (electric rickshaw) in the Girish Ghosh Road area in Howrah's Belur on Wednesday afternoon.

Due to the intensity of the accident, the victim was pushed against a lamp post. Three bones of her rib cage were broken in the accident.

The little girl was immediately rushed to TL Jaiswal Hospital in Howrah by the local residents and her family members.

She was denied admission to the hospital due to non-availability of infrastructure. The family members then took the girl to Howrah District Hospital, where they had a similar experience.

The doctors at the emergency ward of the hospital told the family members of the victim that her rib cage had been fractured in the accident and she required an immediate surgery. They also told the girl's relatives that there was no adequate infrastructure to carry out the surgery.

They were told that they should not let the girl sleep while being transferred to another hospital in an ambulance.

As advised, the family members kept talking to the girl who was writhing in pain.

Having found no other option, the family members then took the victim to Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) with the hope that she could finally be treated. However, they could not expect what was in store for them.

The doctors at the emergency ward of CMCH allegedly told the family members that even they did not have adequate infrastructure to carry out the surgery as it was critical.

The family members of the victim alleged that the doctors told them that a bone of her rib cage was broken and it was close to her lungs in a critical condition. The patient was suffering from serious respiratory distress.

A family member of the girl said that the doctors at CMCH did not want to take a risk with there being a 10 per cent chance for the girl to recover. They then took her to NRS Medical College and Hospital, where the victim succumbed to her injuries.