10-year-old dies after injections at Medical College Kolkata; Health Minister says ‘no one will be spared’

A 10-year-old boy who was taken to Medical College Kolkata with stomach pain died at the hospital on Sunday, with his family alleging that his condition deteriorated after he was administered injections.

Bengal Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee has promised a thorough investigation, warning that legal action will follow if medical negligence is established.

The boy’s family has lodged complaints with the police and hospital authorities.

Bowbazar police have registered an unnatural death case, while a post-mortem examination is scheduled for Monday to help establish the cause of death.

Reacting to the incident, Mukherjee described the death as tragic, particularly because the victim was a minor, and assured the family that the circumstances would be investigated.

‘I am aware of the matter. It is a tragic incident, all the more so because a minor has lost his life. The entire matter will be investigated. If there has been any medical negligence, legal action will be taken. Everything will be investigated thoroughly. No one will be spared,’ he said.

The boy’s father, Naresh Yadav, a car washer said that his son had complained of stomach pain on Sunday morning. The family had planned to visit the child’s maternal relatives at College Square for Lakshmi Puja.

They went ahead with the visit, but decided to take him to Medical College Kolkata when his discomfort persisted.

Yadav alleged that his son initially felt better after receiving an injection but collapsed after being administered another.

‘First they administered an injection to my son. He felt better. After some time, he was given a second injection. My son could not take it. He collapsed,’ he said.

The boy’s mother, Poonam Yadav, also accused the hospital staff of negligence, claiming that her son developed breathing difficulties after receiving injections.

According to her account, a doctor first administered an injection before the family was given a prescription and asked to purchase medicines from outside the hospital.

While one family member had gone to fetch the medicines, another injection was administered to the child, she alleged.

Poonam further claimed that no senior doctors were present at the time and that junior staff were handling the treatment.

The family also alleged that when they sought an explanation from the hospital authorities about the circumstances leading to the boy’s death, they were forced to leave the hospital premises.

In a further escalation, the family said it would not claim the child’s body until the hospital explained why he had died.

Hospital officials said the boy had arrived with medical complaints and was in a critical condition. He suffered a cardiac arrest some time later.

‘The circumstances under which the child died are being looked into,’ a hospital official said.

Police said they would examine the child’s medical records and other relevant details as part of the investigation. The post-mortem findings are expected to help establish the cause of death and guide further action.

The allegations of medical negligence have not yet been established, and the investigation is underway.