Fevered infant dies after taking medicine, kin thrash pharmacist

LUDHIANA: A nine-month-old boy died allegedly after taking a medicine from a chemist shop in Giaspura on Sunday morning. Anita Dyal, a resident of Shiv Colony, Giaspura, said she went to Pal Medical Store around 8am with her child for fever medicine. “My son, Akash, had been running high fever since Saturday night. In the morning, I took him to the chemist, who claimed to be a doctor.He gave me four medicines. Chemist Rajesh Pal administered the medicine at the store itself. After 15 minutes, rashes developed all over the child's body and he fainted. I again took him to the chemist and he asked me to give him the second medicine and take him to a private hospital. My child died around 9am at the hospital," she added.
She said, “We don't know which medicine he gave or if it was expired as he took it away from us. And when we went to him to ask about the medicine, he started shouting at us and slapped me.“
Ram Dyal, father of Akash, said, “He is a self-proclaimed doctor. Many people visit him and take medicines. We don't know what he gave our son that he turned blue and developed rashes.“
When other family members and neighbours got to know about the incident, they staged a protest from 10am to 12.30pm.
Rajesh was beaten up after he slapped the mother of the child and his shop was vandalised. Police allegedly came after one and a half hour and controlled the situation.
Residents also raised slogans against Rajesh.