Man left to die on Kolkata street 

An old man --Kadam Prasad Panth -- who was found lying on Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Road died after he lay unattended for close to three and a half hours. According to sources Kadam Prasad Panth lay on the road gasping and trembling after getting off a bus. The man got out of the bus without his entire luggage. The conductor and passengers who were in a hurry drove away with some of his belongings. No help arrived for Panth until it was too late. Two police stations refused to move a finger and instead of doing what was necessary to help argued over whose jurisdiction the man was found in. By the time help came it was too late.

Early on Wednesday, Panth took a route 52 bus from Howrah station after returning from Nepal. He was headed to Ghoshpara, his local address. Mid-way, he started feeling dizzy. Trembling and gasping, he stumbled out of the bus at the Gouriya Math stop on Netaji Subhas Road. He didn't even have the strength to carry his luggage, and the conductor and other passengers were in a hurry. The bus moved on with his boxes. The incident took place at about 6:30 in the morning.

Locals on their way to the bazar, the owner of a book stall a few shops away and the fish vendor on the opposite pavement saw him sitting on his haunches, panting, but continued with their chores. A curious crowd gathered around him and debated his age, occupation and condition. But, none of those present offered the gasping man any help.

News later reached the nearby Bantra police station. The police reached the spot at 8 am and dispersed the crowd and streamlined the traffic, but didn't touch the old man. Instead, they informed the Shibpur police because the spot where he lay was not under their jurisdiction.

The two police stations argued for about two hours until word reached SP Niraj Kumar Singh. At his prodding, the Shibpur police reached the spot at 10 am, only to realize that Kadam Prasad was dead. The man was identified by an identity card and a train ticket found in his pockets and the body was taken to Howrah General Hospital.

The Howrah superintendent of police has ordered an inquiry into the death to find out whether there was any lapse on the part of the policemen.

As for the locals, they said they didn't help fearing harassment. Kartick Nag, a local said, "We thought of taking the old man to a hospital, but were afraid the police might harass us if he died enroute."

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Shame on Indian police and public.