Family seeks justice as young woman dies due to alleged medical negligence in Pulwama

PULWAMA — The death of a young woman from Arihal village of southern Kashmir’s Pulwama district due to alleged medical negligence on Saturday has sent shockwaves through the area and also prompted the local administration to launch an immediate investigation.

Saboora Arshid, daughter of Arshid Hussain Bhat, died after she was admitted to Mohammadia Nursing Home in Gangoo area of Pulwama district. According to the family, Saboora’s condition unexpectedly worsened after she was taken to the operation theatre for surgery on her nose.

“She was taken to SMHS Hospital Srinagar without informing the family as the surgery by ENT specialist Dr Showkat Tak started at around 3 pm and there was no update for hours together. This surgery was supposed to take about 15 minutes to an hour as the maximum time. They used a backdoor to take her to SMHS Hospital Srinagar while the family was waiting outside the operation theatre,” Furkan Hamid, the cousin of Saboora said while speaking to The Kashmir Pulse.

He added that the body of the deceased was denied even when the family reached SMHS Hospital Srinagar and it was only after chasing their vehicle that the family managed to get the body at around 11 pm.

Saboora’s family, devastated by the loss, is calling for a time-bound and thorough probe into the incident. “We know this is a case of medical negligence and a similar incident happened earlier at District Hospital Pulwama but no strict action followed. However, we hope that the district administration and the local police will thoroughly investigate the case and deliver justice in a timebound manner,” Furkan Hamid said.

He lamented, “Saboora went to the hospital seeking a cure for her nose bleeding problem as she was recommended to undergo the surgery but we did not expect that the minor surgery would lead her to death. At least, the doctors should have informed the family if her condition deteriorated. We deserve to know what happened and we expect an investigation based on facts.”

It is pertinent to mention here that with the unfortunate death of Saboora, Arshid Hussain’s family now has a lone son who is also not mentally well.

The untimely death of the 23-year-old woman, who was pursuing an M.Sc in Srinagar, stirred sharp reactions from the netizens and prompted the local administration to order an enquiry. Deputy Commissioner of Pulwama, Dr Basharat Qayoom (IAS) ordered an inquiry to determine the circumstances surrounding her death.

Dr Qayoom also directed the Tehsildar, along with the Chief Medical Officer and the Station House Officer (SHO) to seal the operation theatre where Saboora had undergone surgery, ensuring all documentation remains intact.

The district administration also ensured that the sealing process would be videographed to maintain transparency. “This was done to preserve evidence and ensure the investigation is conducted fairly,” an official said.

The district administration has assured the public that the inquiry will be conducted with the highest level of scrutiny to address the family’s concerns and restore public confidence.