FIR against 4 doctors as woman dies after sponge left in abdomen

Pilibhit: A case was registered against four doctors, including an associate professor and a senior gynecologist at Pilibhit-based Autonomous State Medical College (ASMC), in connection with the death of a 32-year-old woman who allegedly succumbed to septicemia after a surgical sponge was left inside her abdomen during a hysterectomy, police said on Thursday.
Kheelawati Shankar (32), a resident of Mishrain Gautia village under Gajraula police station's jurisdiction, died on Dec 5, 2004. A CT scan revealed that the sponge left inside her during the procedure led to excessive pus and swelling in her internal organs.
Following her death, Pilibhit district magistrate (DM) Sanjay Kumar Singh constituted a two-member inquiry committee comprising chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Alok Kumar and sub-divisional magistrate (judicial) Ashutosh Gupta to investigate the matter.
"The panel found the doctors liable for medical negligence, concealment of critical facts, flawed diagnosis and improper surgical procedures. The report was submitted to the DM and forwarded to ASMC principal Dr Sangeeta Aneja four days ago for legal action against the accused," the CMO said.
Dr Aneja denied receiving any such report.
Frustrated over the lack of action, Kheelawati's husband, Uma Shankar, filed an FIR, alleging that the accused doctors threatened to kill his children if he refused to "settle the matter".
Gajraula SHO Jagdeep Malik said, "We have charged four doctors, including associate professor Dr Saif Ali, senior gynecologist Dr Asha Gangwar, both of ASMC, Dr Himank Maheshwari, Dr Ram Beti, as well as Anchal Gupta, managing director of a private hospital, and five others under BNS sections 105 (culpable homicide), 238 (causing disappearance of evidence), 351 (3) (criminal intimidation) and 127 (2) (wrongful confinement)."
"We will ask the CMO to provide a copy of the inquiry panel's report to make it part of the investigation. Further action will be taken based on the panel's conclusions," said the SHO.