In a sad incident, a 55-year-old woman died after undergoing bariatric surgery at a private hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut which sparked outrage among her family members, reported PTI.
The family member alleged gross negligence by the attending doctor, said officials on Wednesday. This escalated the situation at the hospital premises, prompting the arrival of police and health department officials.
The victim has been identified as Rajni Gupta, wife of businessman Brajmohan Gupta and a resident of Sadar Bazar. She was admitted to the Nutima Hospital on Garh Road on 11 July for the weight-loss surgery.
At the time of her surgery, she weighed 123 kg and had opted for the procedure performed by bariatric surgeon Dr Rishi Singhal, the family said.
Her son, Shubham Gupta, stated that his sister, Shivani, who also weighed around 120 kg, had been admitted to the hospital for surgery along with their mother.
The kin alleged that the doctor promised a loss of 30 kg within 24 hours. While Shivani’s operation was successful, Rajni passed away following her surgery.
A day after the surgery, Rajni experienced severe abdominal pain, which the doctors allegedly dismissed. But on 13 July, an X-ray revealed a leak in the abdomen, allegedly caused during surgery, leading to infection, the family claimed, further alleging that she died on Tuesday as she did not receive proper treatment.
Husband files complaint:
The victim’s husband has filed a complaint at the Medical Police Station, accusing the doctor and the hospital staff of negligence. However, no FIR has been registered yet.
“The complaint has been forwarded to the Chief Medical Officer , and further action will depend on the investigation report,” SHO Shilesh Kumar told PTI.
However, CMO Dr Ashok Kumar Kataria said he has not yet received the complaint and will act accordingly once it arrives. Dr Rishi Singhal denied any negligence and said Rajni and her daughter attended an event on December 15, 2024, featuring over 150 of his treated patients.
He added that they approached him on July 8, requesting surgeries while their family business was on hold due to the Kanwar Yatra. The doctor mentioned, “Rajni had multiple pre-existing conditions – diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid issues, fatty liver, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, and cardiac concerns.”
He even stated both mother and daughter were informed that the procedure would be critical.
On 11 July, Rajni underwent a successful surgery and on 12 July, Shivani requested her surgery be advanced. Till 13 July, both were stable until the morning, but Rajni experienced uneasiness that evening and was “immediately shifted” to the ICU, the doctor said.
He further claimed that a team of doctors, including Vishwajeet Bembi, Vishal Saxena, Avneet Rana, Mitul Jain, Hariraj Tomar, and Sandeep Garg, attempted treatment, but she died of a heart attack despite their efforts.
With agency inputs.