The family members of 23-year-old Priyanka Deori, who died recently at a private hospital in Digboi allegedly due to medical negligence, will move the court against Digboi Civil Hospital doctor, Dr Suhashis Mukherjee.

Priyanka died at M.R. Agarwal Memorial Diagnostics and Hospital in Digboi on May 14, 2020.

The family members of Priyanka Deori filed an FIR at Digboi police station on May 16, 2020 against the Mukherjee, who has been bailed out.

Priyanka, wife of Bhaben Deori, was a resident of Bordumsa near Digboi in upper Assam’s Tinsukia district.

Talking to Northeast Now on Monday, Menaka Deori, sister-in-law of Priyanka, said, “Due to the negligence on the part of Dr Mukherjee, Priyanka is now not alive with us.”

“On May 14, Priyanka complained of severe abdominal pain and we immediately rushed her to M.R Agarwal Memorial Diagnostics and Hospital at Digboi for sonography,” she said.

She further added, “When we went for sonography  at the hospital, the authority told us to contact with Dr S. Mukherjee.”

“When we contacted Dr Mukherjee, he told us to do some tests of Priyanka. We did all her tests but her hemoglobin was very low.”

“But Dr Mukherjee told us to collect two units of blood and said she would have to undergo the operation because she has a tumour in her uterus,” she informed.

“He advised us to immediately get her admitted to M.R Agarwal Hospital for surgery as her health was deteriorating. As per his advice, she was admitted to the hospital. The hospital management told us to pay Rs 32,000 for the operation but we had no cash at that time,” Deori said.

She said they paid a cash amount of Rs 15,000 to the hospital.

“The hospital management called Dr Mukherjee who asked us to pay the remaining amount the next day,” she added.

The deceased’s family member alleged that Dr Mukherjee had done Priyanka’s surgery even after her hemoglobin level was too low to operate.

On the day of her operation, Priyanka went to the operation theatre by walking, she said.

“After her operation, Dr Mukherjee told us that the operation was successfully conducted but due to her internal bleeding, she would have to undergo another operation,” said Deori.

But after the operation, she was not admitted to the ICU or any other critical unit as there was no such infrastructure at the hospital.

“She was having breathing problems and other issues, but the hospital had no oxygen cylinder and other basic infrastructure facilities. She was complaining of breathing problem and later died,” Menoka alleged.

A case no 108/20 U/S 304(A) under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered at Digboi police station against Dr Mukherjee.

“If the hospital has no basic infrastructure then why did Dr Mukherjee advise us to get her admitted to the hospital and took the risk of operating her when her health was deteriorating,” she alleged.

The medical reports of Priyanka are with Northeast Now.

According to the death certificate issued by Dr S. Mukherjee, Priyanka expired in M.R. Agarwal Memorial Diagnostics and Hospital on May 14, 2020 at 11.37 pm.

The cause of Priyanka’s death has been stated to be a cardiopulmonary failure due to acute LUF following severe anaemia.

The officer-in-charge of Digboi police station, Nikunju Barman said they have registered a case against Dr S. Mukherjee.

Dr Mukherjee could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

Informing that they are planning to move the court against Dr Mukherjee the family members of the victim said: “We now want justice so that no such case happens in the future.”

Avik Chakraborty is Northeast Now Correspondent in Dibrugarh. He can be reached at: [email protected]