Raj Kumar, father of Bengal cricketer, who succumbed to head injury he suffered after on-field collision with a player during a local cricket match in Kolkata, has alleged medical negligence for death of son
Kolkata: Raj Kumar, father of Ankit Keshri, who yesterday succumbed to the head injury he suffered after an on-field collision with a player during a local cricket match here, has alleged medical negligence for the death of his 20-year-old son. Ankit had led Bengal's U-19 team and was among the 30 probables for the ICC U-19 World Cup last year. All CAB matches were cancelled yesterday.
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BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya pays his last respects to Bengal under-19 cricketer Ankit Keshri in Kolkata yesterday. Pic/PTI
During a Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) senior knockout match between East Bengal and Bhowanipore at Jadavpur University Campus ground on Friday, Keshri, who came out as a substitute fielder for East Bengal, rushed for a catch hit towards cover. The bowler Saurabh Mondal, also charged in and collided with Ankit. Mondal's knee hurt Ankit in the neck and chest region.
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While Mondal got up after the collision, Ankit was unconscious. He was given mouth-to-mouth respiration by a teammate, Shibsagar Singh, while another cricketer, Anustoop Majumdar massaged his chest. There were some signs of movement in Ankit and he was immediately rushed to Salt Lake's Amri nursing home.
However, on Sunday he was shifted to Nightingale nursing home, which has a tie-up with Cricket Association of Bengal. Ankit passed away here following a massive cardiac arrest.
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He was doing fine: Dad
"Why was my son suddenly shifted to another hospital and why wasn't the family informed about this move," asked Ankit's father, Raj Kumar Keshri. "On Friday, tests and scans were done initially and the doctors said he is fine. We were told he is normal and he will be transferred to the general ward from the Intensive Care Unit. But later they said, he had contracted fever and so they did not shift him to the general ward.
Ankit's father Raj Kumar Keshri
"At the other hospital, doctors said there is a slight injury and he is drowsy. They said he will remain there for three to four days. On Sunday, they informed us he will be shifted to the general ward, but we got a phone call early morning today saying there was a heart block," the father said. East Bengal coach Pranab Nandy was shocked. "There was nothing in the MRI report. So, how could this happen?" he questioned.
Gone too soon: Cricketers who died at a young age
CAB Treasurer Biswarup Dey said Ankit was shifted for better treatment. "We checked last night (Sunday) and he was alright. It all happened suddenly. We shifted him to another hospital for better treatment," said Dey.
Ganguly reacts...
Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly, who is also CAB Joint Secretary, said: "I was keeping a tab on his recovery. I cannot believe he has left us like this. He was in my T20 vision for Bengal."
Keshri's body was taken to East Bengal club, where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condoled the young cricketer's death. "This is really shocking. I don't know how to console his family. This is a huge loss for them," she said.
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