Kolkata:
A patient of the state-run RG Kar Medical College Hospital was on Sunday found dead with an oxygen mask attached to his nose on a footpath in front of the facility, police said.
Khokan Pal, a resident of Jagaddal in the North 24 Parganas district, was admitted to the hospital on August 24, they said.
He was on oxygen when his brother came to meet him during visiting hours on Sunday. Sometime after his brother left, Mr Pal was found missing from his bed, they said.
Hospital sources said the patient might have followed his brother outside the facility with the oxygen mask still on without being noticed by the hospital staff.
The patient collapsed on the sidewalk and died.
Deputy Superintendent of the Hospital Siddhartha Neogy immediately ordered an inquiry to ascertain how the incident took place.
"An inquiry has been ordered. The body will be sent for post-mortem tomorrow," Mr Neogy said on Sunday, declining to answer queries on whether there was any lapse on the part of the hospital authority.