The Hindu
Mangalore, Sep 2: A group of activists, who are said to have allegiance with the Akhil Bharat Vidyarthi Parishad, blocked the traffic movement at Hampankatta here on Monday, in protest against the death of a girl, who tried to commit suicide, allegedly owing to negligence of the staff of Father Muller’s Hospital, Kankanady. A minor girl from Manjeshwar in Kerala had attempted to commit suicide by consuming kerosene. She died at the hospital on Sunday.
Police action
The agitation is said to have followed an attack on the hospital, allegedly by the Bajrang Dal and the Sri Ram Sene activists on Sunday night. The protestors had reportedly parked an ambulance with the body of the girl at the circle. Police personnel, however, ordered the body to be taken away, and managed to disperse the activists. Franklin Montiero, claiming allegiance to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), warned the hospital authorities of intensifying the agitation if a suitable compensation was not given to the family of the deceased. He dismissed the reported allegations of communal forces being involved in the protest as unfounded.
Separate incident
In a separate incident, another group of activists, reportedly belonging to sangh parivar, is said to have barged into the Kasturba Medical College Hospital at Aattavara and protested against the alleged attempt by the hospital authorities to fleece a patient. Police said the mob dispersed after hospital authorities agreed to waive part of the charges.
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