Bandipora: The alleged criminal official apathy has resulted in the death of a 14-year-old teenager in north Kashmir’s Gurez valley, who was rescued after drowning in Bagtore village, here on Sunday.
According to the locals, the boy identified as Umar Gul, 13, son of Ghulam Rasool Bhat from Dassia village of Bagtore slipped into the Kishanganga river while playing with friends.
As soon as the boy drowned, locals with the help of the army jumped into the river to rescue him and as per the witnesses the boy was rescued by the army and he was alive but in an unconscious condition,” Aquib Lone a local said.
He was rushed to NTPHC Bagtore, and to their utter shock, the hospital according to locals was found locked, ‘consuming precious time’ in shifting the boy to Dawar, the centrally located Tehsil in Gurez.
Locals said the boy who remained in unconscious condition was shifted to Dawar in an Ambulance. However, he breathed his last on the way to the Sub-District Hospital.
Soon after finding the local facility locked and the news of the death reaching them, the locals raised hue and cry and strongly protested against the official apathy by raising slogans against the administration and the department particularly.
Notably, the part of the division of the district has remained constantly in the headlines for medical apathy due to a shortage of doctors and other technical staff, which has been taking a toll on the residents for years together.
The family of the teenager also approached the local authorities and police to file a case wherein they alleged medical negligence as the cause of their child’s death, due to staff being absent from their duties.
The police, have launched an inquiry by filing an FIR and meanwhile, on Monday the department ordered an inquiry to find factual information and probe alleged negligence in the death of the 14-year-old. As per the order, the copy of which lies with Greater Kashmir, the Chief medical officer Bandipora, has constituted a team of four, who is to fill the factual report within five days.