No wheelchair, locked toilet: Patient dies after being ‘forced to walk’ at RG Kar hospital; 2nd death in 3 days

KOLKATA: Biswajit Samanta, 45, a resident of Nimta, collapsed and died on Monday at the state-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital after being made to walk to a pay-and-use toilet, his family alleged, citing lack of a trolley or wheelchair despite his critical condition. The patient had been admitted to the trauma care unit in the early hours, complaining of breathing difficulties and nosebleeding. Doctors provided initial treatment but asked the family to wait for further admission procedures. When Samanta needed to use the toilet, he was reportedly directed to a facility outside the trauma centre. His son alleged that repeated requests for a trolley or wheelchair were ignored, forcing his father to walk.

Samanta collapsed on the first floor of the toilet complex and was rushed back to the emergency ward, where he was declared dead. The family said the trauma care unit had three toilets, but the patient facility was locked for renovation, leaving no accessible option. Police have registered an unnatural death case and launched an investigation. Medical Superintendent and Vice Principal Saptarshi Chatterjee acknowledged that only one patient toilet is functional and is under renovation due to heavy usage.

He said the hospital is exploring solutions, including bio-toilets, to prevent such incidents. Trinamool Congress MLA Atin Ghosh, member of the hospital’s patient welfare committee, called it a “serious lapse,” urging that critically ill patients should not be forced to leave trauma care, and promised to seek a report from hospital authorities with corrective measures. This comes days after another death at the hospital on March 20, when a 40-year-old man was struck inside a lift, leading to five arrests.(With PTI inputs)