RML denies it tried to suppress news of Ahamed's death

The Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here on Friday denied that it tried to suppress the news of senior Kerala Parliamentarian E. Ahamed's death. It said the former Union Minister was alive when brought to the hospital, but died at 2.15 a.m. on Wednesday.

"There was no political pressure on us. The protocol is to not allow any one in the ICU when the treatment is on. Ahamed was alive when brought to the hospital. He died at 2.15 a.m. I am hurt by the allegations," RML Medical Superintendent A.K. Gadpayle told CNN News.

According to Gadpayle, Ahamed's daughter was shown the monitor and she was "very much satisfied" with the information given on her father's condition.

"We have given and shown the monitors and data and they were very much satisfied," said Gadpayle.

The clarifications come as the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) on Friday alleged attempts, including by the Prime Minister's Office, to "suppress" the news of the Ahamed's death and demanded a probe.

The Opposition has been accusing the Narendra Modi government of deliberately keeping the news of Ahamed's death under wraps to ensure the Union Budget was presented as scheduled on February 1.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor told the media outside Parliament: "It is a serious matter. There is a tragic death and you are trying to hide it from his family members just for a petty administrative issue -- a Budget. This is very unfortunate."

The RML hospital had earlier issued a press statement denying the allegations of suppressing the news of Ahamed's death, earlier levelled by Congress MP K.V. Thomas.

According to RML, Ahamed was resuscitated by the hospital doctors after he was wheeled in.

"On arrival he was in cardiac arrest. A team of experts revived him by putting him on a pacemaker, ventilator and cardiopulmonary resuscitation," Gadpayle said in the statement.

"All possible efforts were made by the RML doctors. However, he succumbed at 2.15 a.m. due to complete heart blockage, cardiogenic shock, diabetes with hypertension," he said.

--IANS

rup/lok/rn