Tamarhat: Tamarhat in Assam’s Dhubri district remained tense on Tuesday following the death of an eight-year-old schoolgirl, allegedly due to medical negligence at the Tamarhat Primary Health Centre. The incident triggered widespread outrage, with hundreds of residents blocking National Highway 127(B) at Hatidhura while staging a protest with the child’s body. The deceased, Khadija Parbin, a Class III student of Daspara LP School and daughter of Jahar Ali Sheikh of Oxiguri village, had reportedly been bitten by a venomous snake on Sunday. Her family rushed her to the local health centre, where they alleged that pharmacist Ekramul Hoque Talukdar neither administered proper treatment nor referred the child for emergency care in the absence of a doctor. Instead, he allegedly assured the family that the situation was not serious and sent the girl home.
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According to family members, Khadija’s condition deteriorated shortly afterwards. She was being shifted to Dhubri Medical College and Hospital when she succumbed on the way. The incident sparked massive protests, with demonstrators demanding immediate dismissal of the accused pharmacist, transfer of a doctor posted at the health centre, compensation of ₹10 lakh for the bereaved family, and improved healthcare facilities for the poor. Vehicular movement on the highway came to a complete halt during the agitation.
Senior officials, including police and health department representatives, failed to convince protesters to withdraw the blockade. The situation eased only after Amarjyoti Nath, Circle Officer and Executive Magistrate of Golakganj Revenue Circle, assured the crowd that a fair investigation would be conducted. Following directions from the Dhubri Deputy Commissioner, an Assistant Commissioner has begun an official probe into the allegations. Meanwhile, Khadija Parbin was laid to rest amid an atmosphere of grief and anger in Tamarhat.
