Commuters on the road adjacent to the Jalpaiguri Medical College & Hospital in the northern part of West Bengal were shocked on Thursday afternoon when they saw a man carrying the body of his deceased mother on his shoulder, with his aged father helping him.
Enquiries revealed that the helpless son was forced to carry his mother's body back home from the hospital after the hospital ambulance drivers refused to drive him back unless he paid Rs 3,000.
The scene seemed to a be rerun of the incident in August 2016 when Dana Majhi, a tribal in Odisha, had to walk nearly 10 kilometres carrying the body of his deceased wife on his shoulder with his little daughter walking beside him. The mortuary van drivers at the hospital where his wife was under treatment for tuberculosis denied assistance to him.
In the Jalpaiguri incident, Laxmirani Dewan (71), a resident of Nagardangi area, was admitted with various age-related ailments to Jalpaiguri Medical College & Hospital. She died on Thursday and her body was released by the hospital authorities.
When the ambulance drivers refused to carry the body of the deceased back home without a hefty payment, her son Ramprasad Dewan decided to carry his mother's body on his shoulder and walk back all the way to their home.
"I requested the ambulance drivers for a ride back. They demanded Rs 3,000 for that. I pleaded with them again and again to settle at a lower rate. But they refused. Hence, I decided to walk back carrying my mother's body on my shoulder," he said.
However, Dewan was not that unlucky like Dana Majhi who had to walk in Odisha for 10 kilometres carrying the body of his wife on his shoulder. After Dewan had gone some distance from the hospital, an ambulance arranged by a local voluntary organization reached the place and drove them to their home.
Flight operation between Agartala-Delhi to be increased; resumption of flight operation between Agartala-Aizawl, Agartala-Shillong, says MP Biplab Kumar Deb
The former Chief Minister and presently the MP for West Tripura constituency Biplab Kumar Deb on Friday chaired the airport advisory committee meeting here at Agartala MBB Airport and said that there is a plan to increase direct flight operation from Delhi to Agartala.
Tripura: Bill proposes hike in salaries of CM, Ministers and MLAs upto 50pc
An Amendment Bill has been moved in the Tripura Assembly on Friday proposing the increase of salaries, allowances of Ministers, MLAs and former legislators by 45 to 50 per cent.
Winter assembly session begins in Tripura; Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu lauds Govt’s effort in maintaining law and order in Tripura
In his speech in the sixth session of the 13th Tripura Legislative Assembly, the Governor said, “The state of Tripura is witnessing development in almost every sector including infrastructure, health care, education, agriculture and others under the guidance of the Centre and state leadership.”
TSF stages protest, demands to raise Roman script for Kokborok language in Assembly
The Twipra Student Federation (TSF), a wing of the North East Students Organisation (NESO), on Friday staged a protest near Circuit House in Agartala, demanding the issue of adopting the Roman script for the Kokborok language be raised in the winter session of the Tripura Legislative Assembly, which started today.
Govt to appoint over 400 Assistant Professors in colleges: CM
In a move to provide quality education to students studying in various colleges and to solve the crisis of Professors across the state, the Tripura government has taken a series of steps, including the appointment of 200 Assistant Professors,
Drug peddling: ED raids cop's residence, premises of suspected smugglers in Tripura
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths on Friday conducted raids in Tripura and searched the residence of a police official and premises of several people allegedly involved in drug peddling and money laundering cases, sources said.
Crucial winter session of Tripura Assembly to begin from tomorrow
The crucial winter session of the Tripura assembly would begin on Friday and a bill would be moved in the House amending the existing law to provide retirement benefits to all MLAs who have served even for just a day, officials said on Thursday.
Ex-CM accuses BJP of divisive politics to mask hide core issues
Former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar on Saturday criticized the ruling BJP, accusing it of fostering divisions among Hindus, Muslims, Tribals, and Non-Tribals to divert attention from pressing issues such as rising prices, unemployment, and economic hardships.