Satyanarayan Prakash’s younger son Anil. A Telegraph picture

Satyanarayan Prakash went to Medical College and Hospital (MCH) last Wednesday with a shooting pain in his left arm and chest. Drugs failed to lessen the pain but he was refused admission, thrice.

In desperation, the 55-year-old went to two other hospitals — one government, the other private — but they, too, turned him away. He was finally taken in at MCH on Sunday morning. He died in the afternoon.

Prakash, who ran a snack shop on Keshub Chandra Sen Street, returned from his Bihar hometown on August 25 and started complaining to his family members of the pain. They took him to the MCH emergency ward on Wednesday. The doctors gave him painkillers and sent him away.

The symptoms persisted. Around 8pm on Saturday, Prakash was taken to MCH again with the pain worse than ever, and fever. He was given more painkillers. He could not be admitted since there were no vacant beds, the doctors told his relatives.

When Prakash’s condition worsened, his relatives took him back to the hospital after a couple of hours. He was again treated and discharged.

Till 2am, Prakash stayed in the hospital — his condition worsening by the hour —hoping to be admitted. With no ray of hope, the relatives took him to National Medical College and Hospital, where “there were no doctors to treat him”. He was administered an injection and referred to the MCH. “The emergency ward was full, so we could not admit him,” said a National Medical official.

By this time, Prakash’s arms had become stiff and he could barely move. Around 3am, he was taken to Sree Vishuddhanand Saraswati Marwari Hospital, where, too, there were “no beds”. He was once again referred to MCH.

Around 8am on Sunday, Prakash was admitted to MCH and put on oxygen and saline drip. The cause of his death in the afternoon has not been ascertained. A post-mortem will be conducted.

“If my father had been admitted earlier, he would have survived. How could they turn him away twice on Saturday night and admit him on Sunday morning?” asked Prakash’s younger son Anil. He, however, has not lodged a complaint with the hospital or police.

MCH medical superintendent Anup Roy said: “We are probing the incident.”