Doctors' strike claims four more lives; death toll climbs to 12

Four more patients, three from Bagalkot district and one from Tumakuru district, have died on Wednesday as they couldn't get treatment due to the ongoing private hospital doctors' strike against the proposed KPME Bill.

As many as 12 people, including three children, have died in the state since Monday.

A 39-year-old Vittal Bhajantri, resident of Bhajantri Galli in Mudhol, Bagalkot district, died due to heart-related ailments on Wednesday. Bhajantri, a weaver by profession, could not get timely treatment as the OPD services at the private hospitals were shut following due to the doctors' strike.

Two patients in Banahatti town of Jamakhandi taluk, Bagalkot district, died as they could not get timely medical attention owing to the doctors' strike on Wednesday. The deceased have been identified as Erappa Mantur (43) and Liyakat Maldar (62).

Mohammad Pyaru (57) of Purus Colony in Tumakuru, a heart patient, died en route to Jayadeva Hospital in Bengaluru.

Pyaru complained of chest pain on Tuesday night. When all efforts by his family members to get him treated at private hospitals in Tumakuru proved futile, they decided to shift Pyaru to Jayadeva in Bengaluru. But Pyaru died en route to the hospital.