Negligence FIR lodged after patient’s death at Panchkula civil hospital

On April 5, Kajal was found injured outside the emergency wing under mysterious circumstances; she was referred to PGIMER, Chandigarh, due to the nature of her injuries; but she succumbed on April 9

Following the death of a female patient, who was found injured behind the emergency wing of the civil hospital in Sector 6 on the morning of April 5, police have booked unidentified staff of the hospital for causing death by negligence.

The patient, Kajal, a resident of Raipur Rani, Panchkula, had given birth to a daughter at the hospital on March 31. The newborn was shifted to NICU as she had developed jaundice. (iStock)

The patient, Kajal, a resident of Raipur Rani, Panchkula, had given birth to a daughter at the hospital on March 31. The newborn was shifted to NICU as she had developed jaundice.

Five days later, Kajal was found injured outside the emergency wing under mysterious circumstances. She was referred to PGIMER, Chandigarh, due to the nature of her injuries. But she succumbed on April 9.

Her father, Balbir Singh, approached the police thereafter, accusing the NICU staff of negligence. He said his daughter used to go to the NICU ward to feed her newborn, but the NICU staff did not keep an eye on her.

Acting on his complaint, a special investigation team was constituted under ACP Harvinder Singh and a medical board of the hospital also submitted a report.

ACP Singh said the SIT found negligence on the part of unidentified hospital staff. As such, a case under Section 304-A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code had been registered at the Sector-7 police station.