Family of deceased boy refuses compensation from West Bengal government

Kolkata: The family of a 10-year-old boy who died at a government hospital in Dakshin Dinajpur district has refused to pay a compensation of Rs 200,000, rejecting the West Bengal government’s claim that the young doctors’ ongoing agitation was the cause of his death.

Shivam Sharma, a class 3 student, was injured in a road accident after which he was rushed to Balurghat Hospital. His family alleged that he died there due to the negligence of a senior doctor who, despite being on duty, delayed in treating him.

“There are no junior doctors in this hospital. And he died on August 12, three days after the incident at RG Kar hospital when the junior doctors’ agitation was in its early stages. So any claim that he was a victim of the junior doctors’ strike is false,” said Shivam’s uncle Anand Sharma.

Shivam died because the on-duty chief doctor did not come to his aid in time, he alleged.

“Instead of shifting blame, authorities should take action against the senior doctor whose negligence cost a precious life,” he said.

He rejected the compensation offered by the state government, saying, “We want action against the culprits, not financial help.”

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced that the state government would pay compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of 29 people who died allegedly after being denied treatment due to the ongoing strike by junior doctors. Shivam was one of them.

Officials at the Ministry of Health were not available for comment.