Family blames PM’s security for man’s death

CHANDIGARH - Tight security measures for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to a premier health research institute here Tuesday cost a man his life, the victim’s family has alleged.

Sumit Prakash Verma, 32, died after the vehicle carrying him could not enter the emergency area of the Post-graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in time for treatment, his relatives said.

They alleged that their vehicle carrying Verma from Ambala, 45 km from here, was stopped at different gates of the institute due to which crucial time was wasted.

“We came near the PGIMER when the prime minister’s motorcade was entering. The road near the emergency was sealed by police and we were told to use another gate. At that gate we were told to go to a third place and then directed to go to the original gate. This delayed our reaching the hospital and he died,” Richa Verma, a relative, told media.

Verma was suffering from a major kidney ailment and had breathing trouble. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Manmohan Singh arrived here Tuesday morning for the 44th convocation of the PGIMER.

PGIMER officials were not available for comment as they were busy with the prime minister’s visit.