Tension prevailed in the Ispat General Hospital of Rourkela for about three hours here on Wednesday as about 500 shop keepers of Ispat Market staged a demonstration alleging neglect in treatment of a fellow shop keeper, who had died on Tuesday.
The protesters had calmed down only after Director of the IGH assured them to conduct an inquiry into the matter.
Sources said Dhriendra Barik (34), a shop keeper of Ispat Market, had gone to Ghatgaon to offer prayer to Maa Tarini. On August 29 evening, while returning to Rourkela in a SUV vehicle, he had met a road accident near Bonei. He had sustained multiple injuries and was rushed to the IGH.
According to sources, as many as 32 stitches were made in head of Barik. Besides, his right hand was also plastered since there was fracture in his hand. He was admitted in a general ward. The relatives and friends of Barik claimed that the doctors and staffers of the IGH had not given proper attention. Due to this reason, on August 30, they had requested IGH authorities to discharge their patient so that they can take him to Bhubaneswar for better treatment but he was allegedly discharged only at about 5 pm in the evening. He died on the way and later, his body was brought back and kept in IGH morgue house.
On Wednesday morning, about 500 shop keepers of Ispat Market, under the banner of Ispat Market Byabasayee Sangha (IMBS), had staged a demonstration and demanded action against the doctors and staffers. The IGH management held a discussion with a delegation of protesters in presence of senior police officials.