Dilip Kumar Mitra, who had poured acid on his left hand, mistaking it for water, at BR Singh Hospital, had his middle finger amputated on Wednesday. Doctors said he might need further amputation, as gangrene had set in.

The 76-year-old retired employee of Indian Railways was admitted to the Eastern Railway hospital in Sealdah on September 18.

On the night of September 23, he had asked an attendant in the toilet to give him water. The attendant refused. Mitra then used acid, thinking it was water, and suffered burns on his left hand and feet.

Mitra’s son-in-law Prasanta Ghosh had alleged that the hospital authorities had not immediately informed them of the incident. The family has not been paid any compensation, though the amputation is “a result of medical negligence”.

Mitra’s relatives had lodged a complaint of medical negligence with the hospital authorities on September 28. A probe has been ordered. The hospital authorities said they would take a decision on compensation only after probe results come in.