Relatives of a girl who died of burn injuries at Patna Medical College and Hospital locked the gate of its emergency ward on Tuesday evening.

They were protesting against the alleged failure of the hospital administration in conducting post-mortem even six hours after Nishi Kumari (14) had died. They kept the emergency ward door locked for half-an-hour from 7pm.

The hospital administration allegedly woke to the plight of Nishi’s relatives only after the intervention of local BJP MLA Arun Kumar Sinha.

“We admitted Nishi yesterday to the PMCH with 70 per cent burn injuries. Around 12.45pm on Tuesday, a nurse told us that she was no more. Since then we are running from the pillar to post to get Nishi’s post-mortem done but to no avail. Around 4pm, the hospital administration told us that post-mortem could not be done on Tuesday because it was too late. The doctors concerned supposed to conduct the post-mortem were not available. We cannot understand why the hospital administration could not conduct the procedure even when they had so much time,” said Nishi’s father Ramesh Kumar (45), a farmer of Jehanabad.

Amar Kant Jha Amar, the hospital superintendent, said: “The medical college principal has to arrange for the post-mortem. The hospital superintendent has nothing to do with this. N.P. Yadav, principal, Patina Medical College, did not get information on time. He had gone to attend a meeting. Maybe his mobile was switched off so he could not be contacted,” said Jha.

“Everything has been sorted out now. We have formed a team of doctors who would conduct the post-mortem on Tuesday night only,” said Jha.

Principal Yadav denied having information about the incident on time. “Around 8.30pm, I have been told about this. MLA Sinha called me only then I got to know about this. Our forensic team is ready. Only the permission of the district magistrate and Pirbahore police station is required to carry out the post-mortem,” he said.