E-Paper
FIR against Panchkula hospital for negligence that led to amputation of lawyer’s arm
Repeated improper insertion of needle for IV drip at Paras Hospital, Sector 22, Panchkula, had led to amputation of a 66-year-old lawyer’s right arm
Panchkula police have lodged an FIR against Paras Hospital, Sector 22, for medical negligence that resulted in the amputation of a 66-year-old patient’s right arm.
The patient, Bijendra Singh, is a retired employee of Haryana State Agriculture and Marketing Board and a practising lawyer.
The FIR, registered under Sections 337 and 338 of the Indian Penal Code for causing hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others and grievous hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others, respectively, came about after an extensive investigation and review by a medical board.
The medical board’s investigation, while not naming any specific doctor as accused, did note details of medical negligence.
According to the FIR, on November 18, 2023, Singh was admitted to Paras Hospital with a severely upset stomach, vomiting and high fever after consuming outside food.
Despite his request to be attended to by his primary doctor, the complainant alleged that Dr Abir handled his case in the emergency ward.
Singh claimed that while administering glucose through an IV drip, the doctor repeatedly failed to locate a vein in his right arm and continued to insert the needle multiple times, causing significant pain. The situation escalated when the needle allegedly punctured an artery, leading to severe bleeding and numbness in Singh’s arm.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Singh alleged that his pleas for further assistance were ignored by the hospital staff until the following morning, when his primary doctor finally attended to him.
By that time, however, it was too late, and he was referred to Fortis Hospital in Mohali for vascular surgery. There, he was informed that the blood in his arm had clotted, necessitating immediate surgery.
However, efforts to save his arm were unsuccessful, and his right arm had to be amputated on November 22 to save his life. Singh said he was discharged from Fortis Hospital on November 24, but continued treatment for his arm for about two months.
Now unable to continue his stenography work, he filed a complaint with the Panchkula police on March 5, 2024.
The complaint was reviewed by the deputy commissioner of police, and following an investigation, a case was registered.
A spokesperson from the hospital said, “We are deeply saddened by the condition of Bajinder Singh, a 66-year-old man who was admitted to Paras Hospital, Panchkula, on November 18, 2023, and stand by his family in this difficult time. We wish to clarify that Singh arrived at Paras Hospital in a very critical condition and the medical team followed all necessary clinical protocols in his treatment. The patient later developed acute limb ischemia and all possible care was taken to stabilise his condition.”
