Kendrapara, April 11: An eight-year-old girl suffering from pneumonia died after the doctor of a government-run hospital, who was allegedly drunk, had refused to treat her.

Police arrested the accused, Bhaskar Chandra Kar, medical officer of Pattamundai sub-divisional hospital, yesterday. The arrest took place following tension at Pattamundai township with a mob locking up the doctor after the patient, Sujata Nayak, died.

Sujata had been brought to the hospital last night, suffering from acute pneumonia. But, the doctor did not turn up to attend to her and consequently, she died.

Sub-divisional police officer Kedarnath Sahu said the doctor was apparently drunk and had misbehaved with the victim's parents and local people.

The doctor's behaviour had angered the people and the police had a tough time controlling the angry crowd. The accused was booked under IPC sections 294 (obscene act in public), and 304-A (causing death by negligence not amounting to culpable homicide). Later, he was remanded to judicial custody.

Chief district medical officer Binayak Prusty said: "A departmental inquiry is being conducted into the alleged alcoholic nuisance on part of the doctor. The medical negligence charge is also being probed."

Glaring instances of medical negligence of part doctors and paramedical staff members at the government-run health centres have been reported in the recent past. An eight-year-old girl suffering from high fever and respiratory ailments had been wrongfully administered an anti-rabies vaccine on March 22 at Jagatsinghpur district headquarters hospital.

The accused paramedic was later placed under suspension for dereliction of duty.

In February, a sweeper at a government-run hospital in Jagatsinghpur district had stitched a woman's stomach following delivery because the doctor had left the operation theatre.