Boy, 6, dies after waiting hours for treatment at Kolkata children’s hospital
A six-year-old boy died at a state-run children’s hospital in Kolkata on Monday after his family alleged he was made to wait for hours in soaring heat before receiving treatment. The boy, identified as Shakib from Howrah’s Bankra area, had been running a high fever for several days. His family rushed him to Dr B.C. Roy Post Graduate Institute of Paediatric Sciences after his condition worsened, relatives said. They alleged that emergency staff directed them to the outpatient department and asked them to queue for a registration card despite repeated pleas that the child was critically ill. The family said they waited for nearly two hours in the heat before the boy collapsed and died before he could be admitted to a ward. “We kept requesting them to check him immediately but no one listened. He was burning with fever,” one relative told reporters outside the hospital. Hospital authorities said an internal inquiry had been ordered into the incident.
Kolkata zoo director replaced after report of missing animals sparks probe
Authorities in West Bengal have reshuffled the administration of Kolkata’s Alipore Zoo after a report showed the number of animals had halved in recent years, triggering a court case and a public outcry over possible trafficking. A forest department order transferred Arun Mukhopadhyay, who had been holding additional charge as zoo director, to Darjeeling’s Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, where he will serve as director and chief wildlife warden. He has been replaced by IFS officer Tripti Shah, who previously worked as additional project director at the Institute of Environment and Wetland Management. Officials said the overhaul of the zoo administration comes amid mounting pressure after documents suggested the zoo’s recorded animal population fell from 672 to 351, leaving 321 animals unaccounted for. Animal rights groups have alleged possible smuggling or sales, while others suspect land-sale plans may be behind the reduction. The controversy has already reached the Calcutta High Court, where a public interest petition has sought explanations from the state and zoo authorities. The next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 1. In response, the forest department has ordered an internal inquiry, tightened security at animal enclosures with additional CCTV and guards, and moved to install new leadership. “An investigation is under way, both by the department and the zoo itself,” a senior forest official said. “We will not comment until the full report is ready. For now, the priority is ensuring smooth functioning under the new director.” The zoo, one of India’s oldest, has faced criticism from conservationists and the public after the report sparked fears that hundreds of animals may have vanished without explanation.
West Bengal police detain teacher leader ahead of SSC protest over alleged audio leak
Police in West Bengal have detained a leader of unemployed teachers’ protests, a day before a planned march on the School Service Commission (SSC) office in Kolkata, after his name was linked to an alleged audio clip discussing attacks on police. On Monday morning, a team from Chandannagar Police Commissionerate detained protest organiser Suman Biswas from Adisaptagram railway station in Hooghly district. His family said police had earlier searched their house in nearby Bandel before picking him up while he was on his way to join the demonstration. According to Suman’s brother Sanjay Biswas, “We just learnt that my brother was taken away from Adisaptagram station. He was not even allowed to say anything. We don’t know which police station he has been taken to. Is it a crime that he got his job in 2016? If government employees themselves face such humiliation, where do we go for justice?” The detention follows the release of a six-minute audio clip on Sunday by Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, which allegedly featured protest leaders discussing plans to hurl crude bombs and set fire to property during the SSC protest. Police officials claimed the voice belonged to Biswas, though the authenticity of the recording has not been independently verified. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Bidhannagar), Anish Sarkar, said Biswas had earlier sought permission via email for the SSC protest march, but it was denied. He alleged that the subsequent phone recording revealed plans for a violent attack on police during the demonstration. A case has been registered on the basis of the clip. Biswas, however, dismissed the allegations on Sunday, calling them an attempt by the state government to discredit the movement. “We do not believe in violent protests. The government is trying to malign us and destroy the agitation,” he told reporters. The teachers’ body ‘Chakrihara Jogyota Shikshak Mancha’ (Forum of Unemployed Qualified Teachers) has called for the SSC office march on Monday, demanding jobs they say they were unfairly denied despite qualifying in recruitment examinations as far back as 2016. The controversy has heightened tensions ahead of the demonstration, with police on alert to prevent any violence.
