Rourkela man dies in Kolkata as hospitals refuse to admit him

Rourkela: A 39-year-old man from

Rourkela

serving as manager in a leading corporate house in Kolkata, died on his way to the third hospital, after two of the hospitals refused to admit him due to unavailability of beds on Tuesday morning.

His Covid test conducted after his death confirmed that he was infected. Officials of Kolkata Municipal Corporation have reportedly refused to cremate him as his Aadhar card had Odisha address and he is not a resident of Kolkata.

Family sources said Ananta Narayan Bhol, son of Bijay Kumar Bhol, of Nabakrushna Nagar was working with Tech Mahindra, Kolkata. He was staying alone in a rented house in New Town, Kolkata.

He suffered from fever seven days back and consulted a local physician. On Tuesday morning, he collapsed after complaining of breathing difficulty following which one of his relatives rushed him to hospital. He was declared brought dead at the Rabindra Nath Tagore Hospital.

He leaves behind wife and a four-year-old son, who stay in Rourkela. “After we came to know about his death, we wanted to bring his body back home. But were informed by the authorities that as per the recent Covid protocol, Covid test would be conducted and if found negative only then the body can be sent to Rourkela,” said Bijay, father of the deceased.

Sources said when his swab sample tested positive, his family was informed that his body would be cremated in Kolkata as per Covid protocol. “We were informed that he would be cremated by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials,” added Bijay.

On Wednesday, the KMC authorities asked Bijay to send Ananta’s Aadhar card that was required for the cremation. “We were told that the cremation process has been halted since his Aadhar Card had Rourkela address,” said Bijay.

Hospital sources said the patient had tested positive after he was brought dead to the hospital. An autopsy was conducted and the body was handed over to police on Wednesday morning. “Now, as per the norms in Bengal, his cremation can’t take place at a normal crematorium. The body has to be taken to a designated crematorium and that may take some days,” hospital sources said.