Protests after woman dies during delivery

Relatives of a 22-year-old woman, who died while giving birth, vandalised a hospital and staged a protest near Channapatna on Monday morning.

The protestors blocked the Bangalore-Mysore highway, demanding action against the doctors and hospital staff for medical negligence. The highway was blocked for more than an hour. It took a while for the police to intervene and diffuse the situation.

Deceased Deekshita, the wife of Heman, is from Bevoor village in Channapatna taluk. She died at the Balu Hospital in Channapatna in the early hours of Monday. Deekshita developed pain on Sunday midnight and was rushed to the hospital. The baby is fine, said the parents of the deceased.

As news of her death spread, relatives gathered near the hospital and blamed medical negligence.

They vandalised the furniture at the hospital. Family members and villagers who staged a protest alleged that the doctors claimed Deekshita died due to a heart attack during delivery. They demanded that a doctor come forward and clarify how she died. They also demanded to shut the hospital down.

Police rushed to the spot and tried to convince them to withdraw the protest. But angry family members raised slogans against the police too, saying the cops are protecting the accused.

District Commissioner Dr Amaranath rushed to the spot and gathered information about the incident. He promised an investigation and action against the doctors and staff if medical negligence is proved. A case has been registered at the Channapatna police station. Deekshita’s body was handed over to the relatives after post-mortem.