A college student who died during the treatment of an illness in Assam was given “painkiller after painkiller” by the campus doctor, her roommate has alleged amid protests by students demanding a thorough investigation into the matter.
She alleged the institute’s doctor repeatedly prescribed painkillers, but her condition worsened. Upadhyay’s mother has questioned the manner in which the institute got in touch with them during her daughter’s final hours. She alleged the family was not informed about the seriousness of her daughter’s condition, and that Upadhyay herself called her from the hospital. “I did not receive any call from the institute informing me about my daughter’s condition. “When I finally reached the hospital and saw my daughter, I could not even recognise her. I was shocked to see her condition.”
Upadhyay’s roommate, Shweta, said her friend had been suffering from severe back pain for nearly four years. “She was repeatedly given painkillers by the institute doctor but her condition did not improve and the pain kept getting worse,” Shweta said, adding Upadhyay was told to get some tests done at a hospital in Sonapur. Shruti herself called me and said, ‘mummy, I am very unwell. I am in the hospital’,” the mother said, adding she immediately rushed to the hospital. When she contacted the institute, it told her that Upadhyay was doing fine and doctors were attending to her, the mother alleged.
Shruti Upadhyay, who was a student of Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE) in Sonapur, on the outskirts of Guwahati, died during treatment in a city hospital. The exact cause of her death is under investigation.
