Two men died in Hyderabad after receiving an anesthetic drug typically used in surgical settings. Police traced the drug to ABS Hospital and arrested five individuals, including a neurosurgeon and hospital staff, for alleged lapses in controlled-drug handling and illegal distribution. The case has raised concerns about medication safety, regulatory compliance, and the risks of using neuromuscular-blocking agents outside medical supervision.
Hyderabad police have arrested five individuals, including a neurosurgeon and two hospital workers, after two men died following the surgical anaesthetic drug injection, in the Chandrayangutta area. The incident surfaced when the bodies of Syed Irfan (29) and Jahangir Khan (25) were discovered inside an autorickshaw. A third individual, Saif Bin Akram, survived and provided details to investigators.
Police reports indicate that the three men were looking for a substance they referred to as “Termine,” which they had reportedly used previously. Police have not clarified what ‘Termine’ refers to, and it does not correspond to any recognised pharmaceutical. When they were unable to obtain it, they turned to Atranium 25 mg, a formulation of Atracurium besilate, a neuromuscular-blocking drug used in anaesthesia to achieve muscle relaxation and facilitate assisted ventilation. The drug is regulated because it can paralyse respiratory muscles without medical supervision and ventilatory support. These drugs do not cause unconsciousness, meaning a person can be fully awake but unable to breathe.
The group accessed four ampoules through intermediaries and purchased syringes separately. The injections were prepared and administered first near MBNR X Road and later in the Chandrayangutta area.
Saif, who received the initial dose, reported sudden dizziness before losing consciousness. He regained consciousness later, while the other two individuals collapsed and died soon after receiving the injections.
Investigators traced the origin of the diverted drug supply to ABS Hospital, where Atranium had been ordered for a surgical procedure. Those arrested include:
Dr. S. Jaipal Reddy, neurosurgeon and Chairman-Managing Director of ABS Hospital
Mohammed Vikaruddin, nursing student and surgical assistant
Choude Akash, ward boy
Yamjala Kalyan
Jarpati Shiva Shankar
According to police, the hospital procured 25 vials of the drug on November 26. Following a surgery, the unused vials were reportedly left unsecured in the operating area. Investigators allege that this lapse allowed Akash to remove four ampoules, which later reached the victims through a chain of intermediaries.
The arrested individuals now face charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder and offences linked to the unauthorised distribution of controlled medicines.
Atracurium is used exclusively in clinical settings where respiratory monitoring and ventilator support are available. The medication temporarily blocks neuromuscular transmission, preventing the patient from breathing spontaneously. Outside a controlled environment, this effect can cause respiratory arrest, severe hypoxia, and death within minutes.
Controlled anesthetic drugs in India are governed by strict documentation and storage requirements under existing drug and narcotics regulations. These measures are designed to reduce the risk of diversion or misuse.
Police continue to examine hospital compliance, drug procurement processes, and individual responsibilities to understand how a controlled surgical anaesthetic left regulated custody and reached non-medical users.
(Rh/SS/MSM)