An activist was arrested on Wednesday in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district after he allegedly filmed a man carrying his mother's body on his shoulders from a hospital and helped him with his vehicle to reach home.
The incident, which happened last Thursday, led to a furore in the state as the video of Ram Prasad Dewan walking with his 72-year-old mother's body on his shoulders went viral on social media.
Dewan said he was forced to walk home with the body of his mother Lakkhi Rani from Jalpaiguri Medical College and Hospital as ambulance operators demanded Rs 3,000 for a distance of 40km. However, activist Ankur Das got to know of it and helped the family with his free ambulance in reaching home in Kranti.
Das was arrested on Wednesday on the basis of a complaint filed by the ambulance operators' association at Kotwali police station. In the complaint, it was alleged that Das plotted a conspiracy to defame the state government by forcing the family to walk for 300 metres with the body and filmed it, while his vehicle was waiting for them.
Superintendent of police Biswajit Mahato said a case has been filed under IPC sections 500 (defamation), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).
Police have also interrogated a few journalists in connection with the incident.
Das had earlier alleged that ambulance operators do not allow those who provide free service to go near the hospital.
The Dewan family told reporters they have informed the police it was Das who helped them in taking the body home.
Meanwhile, a five-member committee that was formed by the state-run hospital to investigate the incident submitted its report on Wednesday, said medical superintendent-cum-vice principal of the hospital Kalyan Khan.
The committee recommended action against three security guards of the hospital for alleged dereliction of duty, he said.
Departmental proceedings have been started against them, he added.
