Patna, June 4 (IANS) The controversy surrounding the tragic death of an 11-year-old Dalit girl due to alleged medical negligence at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) continues to deepen.
On Wednesday, Bihar Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Health Minister Mangal Pandey, accusing them of shielding top officials and engaging in cosmetic action.
Tejashwi Yadav alleged that PMCH Superintendent Dr. I.S. Thakur, a key figure who has escaped any disciplinary action so far, was being deliberately protected due to his influence and connection to a Rs 5000 crore hospital redevelopment project underway at PMCH.
“Dr. Thakur was supposed to retire on January 31 last year. Our government fell on January 28. Nitish Kumar extended his tenure the next day. This was all done to ensure his control over the PMCH project,” Tejashwi said.
Tejashwi dismissed the recent suspensions and removals of lower-ranking medical staff as “tokenistic” and temporary, claiming they were part of an effort to divert attention while the actual culprits remain untouched.
“The Deputy Superintendent, Dr Abhijit Singh, who has been removed now, was earlier removed by me. But Mangal Pandey brought him back. This proves the action taken is just a formality,” he alleged.
In a fresh twist, Tejashwi Yadav revived his earlier claim about a “DK Gang”—a reference to alleged power wielders behind the scenes, particularly a retired bureaucrat known only as DK.
“Who is giving orders to save Dr. Thakur? All recent transfers, including that of Thakur, are being done at DK’s behest,” he said.
He accused Mangal Pandey of reversing the progress made during his tenure as Health Minister, citing cancelled schemes and reinstatement of negligent officers.
“We had launched Mission Buniyaad and Mission 60. We ensured specialist doctor appointments, distributed over 275 medicines, and created a referral system to reduce unnecessary transfers to Patna. But what remains of that now?” he asked.
He further claimed that NMCH’s dengue preparedness was so poor that its superintendent didn’t even know the ward’s location—a superintendent who was later reinstated after the RJD-led government fell.
The allegations come after widespread outrage over the 11-year-old rape victim’s death, allegedly due to being left unattended in an ambulance for 4 hours outside PMCH.
So far, one official has been suspended and another was removed from the post of deputy superintendent, but pressure continues to mount for a broader and more transparent probe.
–IANS
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