In an alleged case of medical negligence, a 42-year-old dancer, beautician and model from Kurukshetra had to get her leg amputated after two wrongly performed surgeries by a doctor at a city hospital.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Eish Singhal said that a case under Section 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at Chanakyapuri police station on Sunday and investigation is under way.
The victim, identified as Manpreet Kaur alias Sonia and resident of Kurukshetra’s Sector 2, alleged that in 2016, she got two surgeries done by a doctor at a private hospital here after which her right leg got infected to an extent that it had to be amputated in December.
Met with an accident
The victim then approached the police and submitted her complaint. The complaint was then forwarded to the Delhi Medical Council which concluded medical negligence on the doctor’s part. An FIR was registered.
In the FIR, Ms. Kaur stated that she had met with an accident about seven-eight years ago and a metal plate was put in her knee because of which she could not bend her knee.
“In October, I met orthopaedician K.K. Mishra at Primus Hospital and he assured me that he would fix my knee. A surgery was conducted and I was discharged in three days. My knee got swollen, I developed infection and there was no sensation in my leg. I continued to visit the hospital for follow-ups and shared the problem with him but he continued to assure that it will get better,” the document stated. The doctor allegedly advised her to undergo another surgery after a month in November to which she agreed.
After the surgery, the doctor allegedly told her relative that her knee is damaged and she will not be able to bend it for the rest of her life. He also allegedly asked them to pay ₹5 lakh for further treatment.
Plastic surgery
Rakesh Kumar, Ms. Kaur’s cousin, told The Hindu that they could not arrange the money for further treatment and returned to Kurukshetra. They consulted another doctor there and the dancer underwent a plastic surgery at a private hospital. The doctor allegedly told her that three nerves in her leg were damaged during the first surgery. “The doctor [K.K. Mishra] never told us about the damaged nerve,” Mr. Kumar said.
Subsequently, at a hospital in Kurukshetra, Ms. Kaur was told that her leg had to be amputated as the infection might spread to her entire body which would be fatal.
The DMC, in their order dated August 21, 2019, observed “Dr. K.K. Mishra did not exercise due diligence in timely detecting the post-surgery infection which might have mitigated the complainant’s condition, in spite of the complainant being in regular follow-up with him; the interest of justice will be served if he is suspended for seven days from the State Medical Register of the Delhi Medical Council”.
Mr. Kumar said that Ms. Kaur’s financial condition has deteriorated over the last two years as the beauty parlour and dance academy which she used to run have come to a standstill. “We just want justice for her. She has been wronged,” the cousin said.
