‘Turned away’ by two private hospital in Gurugram, techie dies of accident injuries

Allegedly turned away by two private hospitals, Shomita Singh a 28-year-old software engineer and part of a women riders’ group, died of the injuries sustained in a road accident in Badshahpur here on Sunday.

Founder-director, Letsrydeindia Training Academy, Kuldeep, who was accompanying the riders’ group, told The Hindu over phone that they took Shomita to two hospitals within 30 minutes of the accident, but both refused to admit her.

The group, comprising around half a dozen women riders, had started from Noida around 6.30 a.m. on Friday and was just five minutes away from their destination, the Leopard Trail, a scenic nature trail located near the Aravali Hills, when a sedan coming from the front hit Shomita’s motorycle on the side causing her to lose balance and fall on the road, said Mr. Kuldeep.

“She was wearing headgear and other safety equipment as well. We immediately shifted her to a vehicle accompanying the group and took her to the nearest hospital in around 20 minutes. The hospital refused to admit her. After a brief altercation, when they did not budge, we hired their ambulance and took her to another private hospital just five minutes away. But they too did not take her. Shomita was still breathing,” claimed Mr. Singh.

However, she was declared brought dead at the Sector 10 Civil Hospital, which is around an hour away from the accident site.

Station House Officer, Badshahpur, Inspector Mahendra Pathak said the car involved in the accident was seized and the erring driver would be soon arrested. The body was handed over to the family after post-mortem on Monday.

Father lodges complaint

Shomita’s father, M.P. Singh, however, lodged a complaint with the police seeking action against the Noida-based academy and its director.

“We are not into renting bikes, but lend it to our students in case they ask for it,” said Mr. Kuldeep, who said Shomita had joined the academy over a month ago. Reacting to the family’s allegations, he said, “What happened to Shomita was an accident. The academy cannot be blamed for it. She had a licence and we imparted her training. She was wearing all safety gears as well.”