BELGAUM: In a twist of irony, a patient died a few hours after his death certificate had been signed and handed over to his family on Wednesday by the head of the medical department of the Belgaum Institute of Medical Sciences BIMS ).The irate family had requested medical education minister S A Ramdas to take action against the doctor, but an hour later, the in-patient was dead.The minister was on a surprise visit to the hospital on Wednesday.Dr S B Patil, HoD of medicine, had certified that Narayan Ramu Tembare, 51, from Sankeshwar town in Hukkeri taluk, who has been undergoing treatment in the hospital since June 19, had died of "rabies".Earlier, Tembare's wife Chanda had accused doctors in the hospital of being negligent towards her husband. "They are favouring out-patients. At first, they said my husband was suffering from chest pain."On the third day of our stay here, my husband went into a coma and they said he had no chance of survival. I was shocked when I was given his death certificate, which said he had died of rabies infection," she said.The minister asked Dr Patil to go on long leave with immediate affect. "I have directed the DC to conduct an inquiry into the issue and submit a report within three days. Action will be taken based on that report," he said.