State minorities panel probes 14-yr-old’s death after kin allege fraud
Times of India | 9 March 2026
Kolkata: The West Bengal Minorities Commission (WBMC) initiated a probe into the death of 14-year-old Charanjeet Kaur in Siliguri. The commission's involvement followed a formal complaint alleging severe medical negligence and financial exploitation during a life-threatening medical emergency.
According to the complaint, on Jan 1, 2026, Charanjeet was admitted to a Siliguri nursing home with severe respiratory complications, later diagnosed as acute pneumonia. As her condition worsened, doctors advised an urgent transfer to a more advanced medical facility.
During this critical window, the family was allegedly approached by an insurance agent, Santosh Gupta. Gupta allegedly claimed he could arrange an emergency air ambulance from Bagdogra Airport to Chennai for a cost of Rs 18 lakh, assuring the family the amount would later be reimbursed by their insurance company.
In a desperate bid to save their daughter, the family managed to arrange Rs 12.5 lakh in cash, which was handed over to Gupta. However, the family later discovered that no air ambulance was ever booked. This deception led to critical delays in medical intervention, and Charanjeet Kaur succumbed to her illness on Jan 4.
The family also alleged that the cops, including IO Abir Kr Dhar and IC Amit Adhikari, wrongfully guided them and pressured them to provide weak and false statements while they were still grieving.
WBMC member Satnam Singh Ahluwalia held a detailed meeting with Siliguri police commissioner C Sudhakar and other senior officers. He apprised Jalpaiguri district magistrate, IAS Shama Parveen, of the situation to ensure the bereaved family received necessary administrative assistance.
"The loss of our daughter shattered our family, but we feel reassured that as soon as the necessary complaint was filed, the WBMC took immediate cognisance of the matter," said Rabinder Singh, Charanjeet's father.