As many as 65 people were arrested for staging a road blockade near Government Hospital in Puducherry seeking action against a private medical college hospital staff for the alleged delay in treatment of a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee, who died early on Sunday morning and sought adequate compensation.

Tamil refugee Chandirasegaran’s (29) death on Sunday led to a protest by activists of pro-Tamil organisations and relatives at the private medical college hospital. The body of the Sri Lankan refugee was shifted to Government Hospital for post-mortem. However, on Monday as the police conducted the inquest and other formalities, the activists urged the GH officials to defer the autopsy.

 Following this the activists staged a protest, but senior superintendent of police (law and order), Omvir Singh Bishnoi, reached the spot and assured action against the medical staff of the private medical college hospital, if neglect on part of the hospital staff was proved following investigations.

Following this, the activists and a few members of camp rushed to meet CM N Rangasamy at the assembly and pressed for compensation for the Lankan man’s family. Meanwhile, a section of the activists resorted to road blockade. Police arrested 65 people after the protest.

The activists, led by Federation of People’s Rights, secretary, Sugumaran, met CM Rangasamy and submitted a memorandum urging compensation to Chandirasegaran’s wife.

However, he clarified that the compensation demand could not be met as Chandirasegaran was not a resident of the UT. Rangasamy, however, told them he would forward a request to the private hospital. A top police official has been entrusted with the task of speaking to the hospital about the compensation.

It may be recalled that Chandirasegaran, who was taken to the private medical college hospital near Kalapet, after developing chest pain collapsed at the hospital and the relatives and activists of Tamil outfits alleged that the SL Tamil died following delay in treatment. - ENS