Boy's death due to lack of medical care sparks row in HP

Shimla, Aug 29 (UNI) The death of a four-year old boy here yesterday has sparked a row here with people from a cross section of the society holding both the Congress and the BJP responsible for his death.

''Both the Congress and the BJP are responsible for the death of the boy who failed to reach the hospital on time following their parallel rallies just outside the Vidhan Sabha here,'' rights group Research and Welfare Organisation (RWO) president Sanjay Thakur, told UNI here.

He said had the district administration been a bit sensitive the life of the boy could have been saved.

Dinesh, a four-year old boy referred to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) from Sarkaghat in Mandi district, lost his life yesterday after the vehicle carrying him was held up near the state Vidhan Sabha following a complete ban on plying of vehicles on the roads of the state capital.

The boy, suffering from acute diarrhea, was stranded at Boileauganj, near here, for over two hours as the police did not allow the plying of any vehicle between Boileauganj and Vidhan Sabha and later on the circular road following simultaneous rallies by the Congress and the BJP.

The child was declared dead on arrival (DOA) by the doctors at the local sanatorium where his parents had rushed him after realising that their ambulance would not reach IGMC early.

Observing that leaders of both the BJP and the Congress were responsible for Dinesh's death, Mr Thakur said firm action should be taken against all responsible with a view to prevent re-occurrence of incidents like this in future.

Reacting over the issue, state CPM leader Sanjay Chauhan blamed the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP of failing to live up to the expectations of the people of the state and raking up secondary issues to hog the limelight.

Criminal cases should be registered against leaders of both the parties and the officials of the district administration for failing to ensure that emergency services were maintained during the period of the rallies, he said.

Local people, while expressing grief and sorrow over the incident, have called for strict action against all responsible in the issue.

Several state Congress and BJP leaders have expressed regret over the death of the boy due to lack of medical care, while blaming each other for it.

UNI