How many surgeries can a well-qualified doctor perform in a single day? One, two, three… or maximum ten?

But in Bihar’s Araria district, three self-proclaimed “medical practitioners” performed 53 surgeries, that too within just two hours. Incidentally, all the surgeries were related to family planning, as these quacks performed tubectomies on 53 rural women.

The “feat,” which was achieved at an amazing speed, could put to shame even the most experienced gynaecologist.

Playing with the lives of innocent villagers, most of whom were illiterate, these quacks gave a damn to the basic medical prerequisites and performed the surgeries in the open, that too without anaesthesia.

The matter would have remained under wraps had some of the victims, who were writhing in acute pain, not rushed to the nearby district hospital for proper medication.
The entire “operation” was carried out under the aegis of a Purnia-based non-governmental organisation (NGO)—Jai Ambe Welfare Society—in Araria district, some 400 km from the state capital. The women were lured into going in for family planning operation by the NGO quacks, who told them that they would get Rs 600 each, besides free medicines.

After the “operations” were carried out at a break-neck speed, the companions (of women operated upon) asked for Rs 600, as promised. The gullible people were told that as of now only free medicines were available. Even the medicines provided by the NGO had passed the expiry date.

Situation worsen

In the meantime, the situation of many operated women turned from bad to worse and they were rushed to the nearby district hospital.

When some locals informed Araria SP Shivdeep W Lande about the incident, he immediately rushed to the site. “I was surprised to find that not a single qualified doctor was present there and the saline bottles, too, were past their expiry dates,” said the SP, who had to send more women to government hospitals for proper medicare.

Arrested

Meanwhile, the three self-proclaimed “doctors”—Gopal Jha, Prakash Jha and Ramanand Jha—were arrested for conducting unauthorised operations. “It seems the NGO has been organising family planning camps regularly, thereby putting lives of innocent women in danger. We will ensure the culprits get stringent punishment,” said the Araria SP.