 EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, Sept 13: A23-year-old woman died during treatment at a hospital nearly two weeks after giving birth to a dead child here, triggering protests by her relatives who alleged medical negligence and demanded a probe into her death, officials said on Sunday
The protesters, carrying the body of the deceased, staged a sit-in on the main road at Chatta on the outskirts of the city on Sunday, alleging that she died within 10 minutes after intravenous injection was administered to her, the officials said. After several hours of protest, the officials said the body of the deceased was later cremated by her relatives on the intervention of senior civil administrative officers who rushed to the spot and assured action in the case.
Kuljeet Kour, who delivered a dead baby early this month, complained of abdominal pain and breathlessness at home on Friday evening and was subsequently admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital here, one of the protesters said. He said the woman, however, died in the hospital on Saturday afternoon but doctors took away all her medical records when the accompanying family members questioned their claim that the deceased was COVID-19 positive and would be cremated as per the set protocol.
"She tested negative for the virus on her admission in the hospital. She was sick but was not in a critical condition. We questioned the false claim and after our protest, a re-test was done which turned out negative and the body of the deceased was handed over around 11.30 pm for last rites," he said. Demanding a fair probe and stern action against doctors for their alleged negligence, he said, "We have given a week's time to the government to complete its inquiry and take necessary action against those involved." "If justice is denied to us, we will restart our agitation," he said.
Jammu additional district commissioner Ghanshyam Singh said, "An inquiry into the incident has been ordered and culprits, if any, would be punished within a week's time."
A three-member panel will conduct a magisterial investigation in the case and submit its report in a week, said district commissioner Sushma Chauhan. |
