The state health department is investigating why no free ambulance or hearse could be given to North Dinajpur's Asim Debsharma to take home the body of his five-month-old son from North Bengal Medical College and Hospital on the outskirts of Siliguri.

On Sunday, migrant worker Asim, from Dangapara village in North Dinajpur's Kaliaganj block, carried his infant son's body in a bag for 200km by bus after private ambulance drivers asked him for Rs 8,000 for the trip.

The state health department sought and received reports from the NBMCH superintendent and the chief medical officer (health), North Dinajpur, on this incident. Although "communication gap" is being cited as the reason for Asim's ordeal, the health department decided to conduct its inquiry.

"In every district, free ambulance services are given by the health department, civic bodies and panchayats. We must know why he (Asim) couldn’t get the benefit. If there is a critical gap, it must be bridged,” a source said.

On Tuesday, Asim and his wife Sagari were called to the BDO's office to be brought under the ambit of Swasthya Sathi, the state’s free health insurance scheme.

Jaykrishna Dewan of Jalpaiguri, who made news in January when he carried his wife's body for a while as he could not pay private ambulance rates, met Asim and Sagari in Dangapara. Dewan said he wanted to meet chief minister Mamata Banerjee to convey their plight.