Agartala: The Tripura Human Rights Commission (THRC) has ordered an independent inquiry into the death of a pregnant woman at Agartala Government IGM Hospital, observing that the records submitted before it leave key questions unanswered regarding her treatment and the decision not to refer her to a higher medical facility.
The commission, headed by Justice Arindam Lodh, initiated suo motu proceedings after taking cognisance of media reports published on May 30 alleging medical negligence in the death of 33-year-old Bibha Debnath, a resident of Baishnab Tilla in Amtali.
Earlier, the commission had sought a factual report from the Director of Health Services. However, after examining the documents, it noted that the report was based on explanations provided by doctors from the hospital’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology rather than an independent departmental investigation.
According to the medical records submitted to the commission, Debnath was admitted to IGM Hospital on May 28 with complaints of abdominal pain and difficulty in passing urine. Doctors recommended an emergency lower segment caesarean section (LSCS), but the report stated that she and her husband declined to give consent after being informed of the associated risks and opted for conservative treatment instead.
The records further stated that her condition was monitored overnight. In the early hours of May 29, she reportedly lost consciousness. Despite resuscitation efforts by doctors, she was declared dead at around 6 am.
After reviewing the report, the commission observed that it primarily focused on ruling out medical negligence by the treating doctors but did not satisfactorily explain why the patient was not referred to another healthcare facility if her condition had worsened beyond the hospital’s treatment capabilities.
Observing that this raised important questions requiring closer examination, the THRC directed its Investigation Wing to conduct an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death.
The commission has asked the Investigation Wing to submit its findings before the next hearing, which has been scheduled for August 12, 2026.