Jalpaiguri: Unable to pay for ambulance, man carries mother’s body on shoulders

A man carried his mother’s body on his shoulders for at least a couple of kilometres in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal after he was unable to pay Rs 3,000 for ambulance service.

The man, identified as Ram Prasad Dewan of Nagardangi area of Kranti block in the district, started walking with the body from the Jalpaiguri Medical College and Hospital to his residence, nearly 50 kilometres away, with his elderly father before a social service organisation provided them a vehicle, it is learnt.  After Ram Prasad couldn’t arrange a vehicle to carry the body he wrapped it up in a bedsheet to carry it on his own shoulders. His mother Lakshmirani Dewan (72) was admitted to the Jalpaiguri Medical College on Wednesday with breathing issues. She died in the hospital on Thursday morning. Ram Prasad said, “They demanded Rs 3,000 for an ambulance to take the body home. But I did not have the money to pay them.”

Jalpaiguri Medical College and Hospital superintendent Kalyan Khan said, “This is an unfortunate incident. There is a free government ambulance service in operation. The family of the deceased may not have understood it or may not be aware of it. If they had contacted the patient help centre, the problem would have been resolved. But we are also looking into the matter and emphasis will be given to ensure that people are aware of the free services and the process to avail them of.”

Ram Prasad said that he had paid Rs 900 to bring his mother to the hospital.