India News | Elderly COVID-19 Victim's Body Lay Unattended for over 14 Hrs, Claims Family
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The family members of an elderly COVID-19 patient have claimed that his body lay unattended at their residence in south 24 Parganas for more than 14 hours, and neighbours or the local councillor did not respond to their distress calls, despite repeated attempts.
Kolkata, Jul 27 (PTI) The family members of an elderly COVID-19 patient have claimed that his body lay unattended at their residence in south 24 Parganas for more than 14 hours, and neighbours or the local councillor did not respond to their distress calls, despite repeated attempts.
The man, in his mid 60s, died around midnight on Sunday, the family members -- three of whom have also tested positive for the disease -- said.
"My elder brother, his wife, daughter and sister-in- law had tested positive for the disease. Dada (brother) died around 11.55 pm on Sunday. Since then we had tried contacting councillor Ashoka Mondal several times, but all calls went unanswered. We also contacted the state health department, but no one helped," the deceased's brother said.
None in the neighbourhood, too, came to the aid of the hapless family, he said.
Also Read | Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Scarlet Red Launching in India on August 6 During Amazon Prime Day Sale 2020.
It was only after the state minister and local MLA Partha Chatterjee intervened, arrangements were made to take the sexagenerian's body for cremation, he added.
Behala Paschim MLA Partha Chatterjee, when contacted, said the matter was being looked into.
"I have spoken to the Behala police station officer- in-charge and the brother of the deceased. If the councillor has not responded to calls then that wasn't the right thing to do. I, being the MLA, have certain responsibilities and will do whatever is needed. I am personally overseeing things," Chatterjee said.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)