A tragic case of alleged medical negligence and intimidation has emerged from Roorkee, where three doctors from a private hospital have been formally charged following the death of a young woman shortly after she gave birth. The incident has sparked outrage and a police investigation.
Allegations of Negligence and Intimidation
According to a police complaint filed by the victim's husband, Pankaj Kumar Saini, his 33-year-old wife, Monika Bhave, was admitted to Shiromani Hospital in the Nehru Stadium area on December 25 for delivery. The couple welcomed their first child, a baby girl, via normal delivery around 4 PM. However, Saini claims his wife's condition deteriorated rapidly soon after, and she was left writhing in severe pain.
Saini alleged that there was a significant delay before the hospital in-charge, Dr. Poonam Gupta, examined Monika. Doctors Ashish Gupta and Sanjay Kansal were also involved in her care. The medical team eventually took her to the operation theatre and, following a procedure, decided to refer her to a higher medical centre in Haridwar around 8 PM.
The situation took a more sinister turn, Saini claims, when he was barred from speaking to his wife after she was brought out of the OT. "An ambulance was arranged by the hospital in haste, and my wife was placed inside it. When I tried to ask Dr. Poonam about my wife's condition, her personal guards threatened me at gunpoint and forced me to sit inside the ambulance," he stated in his complaint. Fearing for his safety, he accompanied his wife to Haridwar, where she was declared dead on arrival.
Police Case and Hospital's Defence
Based on Saini's detailed complaint, the Roorkee police have registered a case under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges include:
- BNS Section 106(1): Causing death by negligence.
- BNS Section 351(3): Criminal intimidation.
SP (Rural) S C Suyal confirmed the registration of the case and stated, "Further action will be taken after completion of the investigation and based on its findings."
In a strong rebuttal, the management of Shiromani Hospital has denied all allegations. They asserted that the patient received all possible medical treatment and was referred to a advanced centre in a timely manner when her condition became critical. Dr. Poonam Gupta told the Times of India, "The post-mortem has been conducted and the report will clarify everything. We have CCTV footage of the hospital premises. Allegations of medical negligence and intimidation are completely baseless."
Seeking Justice and Awaiting Answers
The death of Monika Bhave, a revenue sub-inspector, has left her family devastated during what should have been a joyous occasion. The case now hinges on the ongoing police investigation and the findings of the post-mortem report. This incident raises serious questions about patient safety, accountability in private healthcare, and the extreme allegations of intimidation faced by a grieving family member.
The community and authorities await conclusive evidence to determine the sequence of events that led to this tragic outcome in Roorkee.
