March 17: A school student with a fractured collarbone and bleeding eardrums was allegedly "referred" forward by four government hospitals and left without treatment for two days in a fifth.

Past Friday midnight, Arpit Sikder was lying on the floor of a ward at SSKM Hospital, where he had been "promised treatment", his parents said. The promise came after the family called TV reporters and some of them landed there.

Arpit, a Class XI student in Bongaon, was injured in a bike accident on Tuesday night. "He was taken to a health centre, where he was provided first aid," said father Ranjit Sikder, a farmer.

Arpit was referred to Bongaon Sub-divisional Hospital, where a CT scan revealed he had fractured his collarbone. He was also bleeding from the head and eardrums, said Arpit's uncle Tanmoy Sikder. The hospital said it was not equipped to treat Arpit.

After a night at the Bongaon hospital, he was referred to RG Kar hospital in Calcutta. "We reached RG Kar around 1pm on Wednesday. At the emergency, we were told his condition was too critical and he should be shifted to a better hospital," Tanmoy said.

From there, Arpit was taken to SSKM, only to be turned away. By then, Arpit had started bleeding again and his relatives rushed him to Calcutta National Medical College. "There, we had to sign a bond before he was admitted. But he was left untreated for two days, Wednesday and Thursday," Tanmoy alleged.

The relatives wanted to shift Arpit but the authorities discharged him after allegedly forcing his parents to sign another bond. This morning, Arpit was again brought to SSKM. This time, a doctor saw him and advised admission, said a family friend.

At the neurology ward, the staff refused admission citing unavailability of beds. Arpit was taken to the neuro ward after journalists reached the spot. "The nurses said he would get a bed after midnight," said Ranjit. An SSKM doctor admitted Arpit did not get a bed in the morning but said he was unaware of the reason.