NEPALGUNJ:Kin of a patient, who died in course of treatment in Nepalgunj Medical College here, shut the hospital today. Relatives of deceased Purna Bahadur Pulami, of Hawalpur in Shamsergunj-9, halted all the services in the health facility, except emergency, accusing the doctors of negligence during his treatment.

According to Dr Jitendra Mahaseth, the agitators did not let even the ambulances enter the hospital by padlocking its main gate. Truck driver Pulami was admitted in the hospital on November 1 after being hurt in an accident. The agitators have accused the hospital of administering the patient an overdose of anaesthetic during the operation. Pulami had died while being rushed to Lucknow for further treatment. Pulami's wife claimed that her husband had sustained only a minor injure in hand. The agitators also clashed with the police.

The hospital resumed services following an agreement with the agitators. According to Mahaseth, they agreed to provide a job to the widow besides Rs 350,000 as relief.

Dr Mahaseth, however, denied negligence during the treatment. ''We will accept any kind of penalty if proven guilty. We provided the amount considering the family's economic condition.''