Cuttack: Government Railway Police (GRP) on Friday started a probe to find out whether any lapses on the part of a constable of their force had any role in the circumstances under which a homoeopathic doctor had died on January 1 night.

GRP police superintendent Banabihari Sahoo had on Thursday ordered the probe on a complaint against the constable who was on duty at the pre-paid autorickshaw counter at the Railway Station in Cuttack on that night.

Rajashree, the widow of homeopath Madhusudan Ojha, lodged the complaint at the GRP police station in Cuttack. Inspector in charge of the police station Bijay Krushna has been entrusted with the job of ascertaining the veracity of the allegations.

Sahoo said that stern action would be taken if the allegations were found to be true.

According to the complaint Rajashree had rushed to the pre-paid autorickshaw counter from her house at Station Bazaar area after her husband complained of chest pain. But in a hurry she had left behind her handbag in which she had put some money.

As precious time would be lost if she went back home to fetch her bag, she requested the constable at the counter to help her out to get a pre-paid auto to take her ailing husband to SCB Medical College and Hospital. But the constable refused to help if she had no money. The constable refused to respond to her exigency even when she offered some of the jewellery she was wearing for booking the auto-rickshaw, she alleged in her complaint, sources said.

An auto-rickshaw driver came forward to help her out by paying Rs 100 for her to book an auto-rickshaw. But when she took her husband to the hospital, he was declared brought dead. She has alleged in her complaint that the precious time lost due to the constable's refusal to help her out.