Gaya, May 8: A doctor died of sunstroke after frantically searching for water on the Pilgrim Hospital premises where he was to appear for an interview this afternoon.

The victim, Binay Kumar, in his early thirties, was among hundreds of doctors who had applied online for contractual jobs in govt hospitals and primary and additional primary health centres of the district.

Since the venue of the interview was suddenly shifted from Swasth Samiti to the hospital around 12 noon, the doctors — who hed been waiting in the scorching sun since morning — had to run for almost 2km as rickshaws were few.

At Pilgrim Hospital, they were told the interview may not be held at all. Civil surgeon Chandra Bhushan too was conspicuous by his absence. There were no arrangements for seats. Neither was there any drinking water.

Binay, a resident of the Delha locality in town, started searching for water but fainted soon after. He was immediately brought to the hospital where the oxygen cylinder did not function leading his death.

Divisional commissioner K.P. Rammaiah said prima facie the “civil surgeon was at fault” — his cellphone remained switched off. District magistrate Sanjay Kumar said he had directed Sadar SDO Navneet Ranjan Tiwari to inquire into the matter.