Kochi/Thrissur: The wife of recently deceased CPI(M) leader Simon Britto claimed his life could have been saved with timely medical care. Interestingly, CPI(M) Koorkancheri local secretary E Sunil Kumar had said Britto’s reluctance to go to a hospital caused the delay in medical attention and precious time was lost when he was rushed to hospital in the evening.

The doctors at the hospital said bystander accounts suggested he could have been saved had they brought him early.

He could have been saved had he been brought early, Dr Abdul Aziz, the MD of Daya Hospital, concurred.

Wheelchair-bound Britto, the former Anglo-Indian representative in the Kerala Legislative Assembly, had passed away in Thrissur on December 31.

Seena also alleged that there are discrepancies in his medical report.

“Simon had paralysis from injuries to the spine but no cardiac conditions. But the medical report says he had heart ailments,” Seena said. “It is said he died on way to hospital. How did they then ascertain he had a heart condition? He was 64, but the report says 68. Those present around him during death have different accounts of the incident. It seems they are making up their own versions. Not sure what really happened. Only the party can bring clarity since they received the medical report from the hospital. I don’t want any controversy, but there should be clarity. The family is yet to recover from Britto’s untimely departure.”

Britto was staying at Thrissur PWD rest house on his last day. CPI(M) local leader Sunil Kumar, who was at the rest house earlier, said Britto felt unwell in the morning. He attributed it to prolonged sitting in the air-conditioned hall the day before listening to ghazal, Sunil said.

Nurses summoned from the district hospital examined him. Later in the evening, as his condition worsened , an ambulance was rushed to the spot from Daya Hospital, Sunil added.

Sujobi Jose, a party activist who was with him in the ambulance, however said Britto was alive when he reached the hospital and talked to an attendant. While getting off the ambulance at the hospital Britto himself told the attendant to be careful since he was unwell, said Sujobi. An SFI member had also accompanied him.

ECG analysis here later confirmed the heart had stopped. Efforts to resuscitate it also failed.