Medinipur Hospital under fire after declaring drowned teen dead twice; Family alleges negligence

An incident involving 18-year-old V. Shahi from Debolpur, Kharagpur, has raised serious concerns about medical procedures at Medinipur Medical College Hospital. On Sunday, Shahi went swimming in a local river, where he tragically drowned. Local residents, according to the police, did not attempt to rescue him. Shahi was later pulled from the river and brought to the hospital with the help of police. Upon arrival, medical staff declared him dead, and his family was informed of his passing.

According to the family, Shahi was left unattended for some time before being officially declared dead by doctors. The family disputes this claim, stating that as they were preparing to take his body, they noticed signs of life. They observed a heartbeat and Shahi moved slightly, even vomiting. In response to this, the family alerted the hospital staff, and Shahi was immediately transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for further examination and monitoring.

However, after approximately 30 minutes of observation in the ICU, doctors re-assessed Shahi's condition and declared him dead once again. The family claims that the initial declaration of death was premature and that the young man may have survived had proper medical attention been provided earlier. The family also raised concerns over the lack of immediate medical intervention and prolonged delays before any medical reassessment was made.

Following the second declaration of death, Shahi’s family became outraged and demanded accountability for what they perceived as negligence in the treatment and care of their relative. They are now planning to lodge formal complaints with the district magistrate, the Chief Minister's office, and relevant medical authorities. Local police have started an investigation into the incident to examine the actions taken by the hospital staff and to determine whether the appropriate medical procedures were followed in the treatment of Shahi upon his arrival. The hospital has yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.