25-05-2025
Patiala: RGNUL student dies of cardiac arrest, student bodies say help didn't come on time
Two days after a 24-year-old final-year student of Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL), Patiala, died of cardiac arrest, the student body alleged 'gross negligence' and 'systematic failure' on the part of the university administration in responding to the medical emergency.
The student had collapsed outside her hostel room late Wednesday night after which she was taken to a private hospital, where she was declared dead.
In a letter to the university vice-chancellor (V-C), the student body alleged that the ambulance took around 30 minutes to arrive, and when it did, it was found to be ill-equipped to provide basic life support. As per information, the varsity uses a Tata Magic, a passenger vehicle, as a makeshift ambulance.
The students' letter reads, 'Her medical distress was first noticed around 10.45 pm. Immediate efforts were made by students to seek medical assistance. Calls were made to the health centre, which went unanswered...'
'In the absence of any support from the administration and healthcare centre staff, students had to wrap her in a bedsheet to carry her down the stairs from the third the ambulance finally arrived after around 30 minutes, it was found ill-equipped to provide on-the-spot medical care and took 10 minutes to set off, adding to the delay,' the letter further read.
Vice-chancellor professor Jai Shankar Singh said, 'The university stands in grief with the student's family, who have suffered an irreparable loss. As informed by her parents, she was already suffering from heart ailments. The allegations (levelled by students) are not from her parents or friends. It is some boys from some other batch who are making baseless allegations. It is obvious that when there is an emergency call, it will take 10-15 minutes for the driver to get dressed and reach the hostel.'
