Madikeri: A woman's death following a sterilisation surgery led to protests outside the Madikeri District Hospital, and the police subsequently registered a case against the doctor who performed the procedure.
The incident occurred as part of a free surgical camp organized under the central government's sterilisation program at the Kushalnagar Community Health Centre. Twelve women were scheduled for the procedure, with specialists from the district hospital present to assist.
Shanti, a 27-year-old woman from Boodi Thittu village in Periyapatna taluk, underwent the surgery after a preliminary medical assessment. However, her condition rapidly deteriorated after being given anesthesia, and she was quickly transferred to Madikeri District Hospital. Sadly, she was declared dead upon arrival.
Her family gathered at the hospital, near the mortuary, voicing concerns about the medical staff’s role in her death and holding them responsible. Shanti’s husband, Chelladore, stated, “My wife was in good health. She even breastfed our baby twice before going into surgery. We weren’t allowed to see what happened during the procedure.”
An ASHA worker who was present confirmed that the initial process seemed to follow the usual steps. Shanti’s grieving family, including her mother, brother, and sister, were left devastated by the loss. Shanti, the daughter of Subbamma and D. Srinivas, had been married to Chelladore for five years and had two young children—a 4-month-old daughter and a 4-year-old son.
The family lodged a formal complaint with the police, accusing the medical team of negligence. Following this, the Kushalnagar Circle Inspector, P.K. Raju, recorded statements from both the family and medical staff before filing an FIR.
Kodagu Superintendent of Police, K. Ramarajan, confirmed that Shanti was the second patient scheduled for the surgery that day, and that she had passed away as reported in the complaint. District Health Officer Dr. Satish mentioned that this was the first fatality in the surgical team's 20-year history, during which they had successfully performed sterilisation procedures across various districts, including Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada.
In another report, a 26-year-old woman from Boodithittu village in Periyapatna taluk died on Tuesday after arriving at the Kushalnagar Community Health Centre for a free sterilisation procedure. The exact cause of her death is still being investigated. According to District Health Officer Dr. Satish Kumar, the deceased woman, named Shanthi, had come to her mother’s home in Madapattana and was one of 13 women scheduled for the procedure. Upon arrival at the surgery section, Shanthi suddenly fell ill and was immediately rushed to the Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences in Madikeri. Unfortunately, she passed away during the transfer. A postmortem will determine the cause of her death.
District Family Welfare Officer Dr. Anand clarified that Shanthi became unwell before her surgery, but the procedures for the other women proceeded without incident, and they were sent home afterward. No fatalities had been recorded in the district’s sterilisation camps since 2009.
Meanwhile, a police case was filed at Madikeri Station alleging medical negligence in the sterilisation operation. The family of the deceased staged a protest outside the District Hospital, demanding a full investigation into the incident. Chelladore, the husband of the deceased, said, “My wife was in excellent health. They wouldn’t let us witness anything that happened during the surgery.”
An investigation is underway, and a case of unnatural death has been registered at Kushalnagar police station. Shanthi is survived by her husband, a son, and a 4-month-old daughter.
Kodagu SP K. Ramarajan confirmed that Shanthi was the second patient scheduled for the sterilisation procedure that day and that blood samples had been taken for further examination. Dr. Satish also stated that both medical and police investigations would continue as the situation unfolds.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Sai Sindhuja K/MSM)