This time, the escorts decided to take her to Medical College and Hospital. They reached the emergency ward of the hospital around 3.35am, but Hamida was declared dead on arrival.

"Sheer negligence on the part of the doctors at NRS led to her death. She was writhing in pain, but the doctors gave her only first aid. They said she would be fine and asked us to take her home. Then why did she die?" a member of the family asked.

Officials at NRS said they were unaware of any such dispute. "We have not received a complaint from the family. We will definitely look into the allegation if they file one," one of them said.

Narkeldanga police station said in its case diary that Hamida was "critically injured" on being hit by the truck. "She was bleeding from the mouth and nose and local residents took her to NRS. We arrested the driver and impounded the vehicle."

Bengal's largest referral hospital, SSKM, had come under the scanner last month for denying admission to two youths injured in a road accident. The duo lay under the shade of a tree in the compound for hours before media attention forced the hospital to take them in.