A 25-year-old woman died shortly after delivering a baby at a private clinic in Bihar’s Supaul district on Saturday, prompting her family to allege medical negligence, block a major road for nearly four hours and submit a complaint to the police. The clinic was later sealed and six other patients were shifted to Supaul Sadar Hospital.
The deceased, Chandni Kumari, was a resident of Ward No. 7 in Kariho village under Supaul Sadar police station. Her father, Lalan Sah, said she was admitted to the private hospital, located east of the tempo stand on the Supaul-Saharsa Road, at around 3.30am for delivery.
According to Sah’s account, Chandni delivered a baby boy normally at around 6am. The newborn was reported to be safe. Sah said doctors subsequently diagnosed Chandni with anaemia, after which her relatives were called and she was given two units of blood.
Sah alleged that her condition continued to deteriorate despite treatment. Hospital staff then shifted her to a trauma centre for further treatment, but she died after reaching the facility, he said. The allegations have not been established, and the police said they would investigate the complaint submitted by the family.
After Chandni’s death, family members accused the doctors and staff of negligence. They also alleged that the clinic’s doctors and employees left the premises after the incident. The protesters placed the woman’s body on the Supaul-Singheshwar road and blocked traffic, demanding that the district magistrate visit the site.
The road blockade continued for nearly four hours and was lifted at around 2pm after officials reached the spot and assured the protesters that their complaint would be examined. DSP Rajiv Ranjan, Sadar police station house officer Ramsevak Rawat, block development officer Nishant Kumar and other officials were involved in efforts to pacify the protesters.
As the situation escalated, six other patients admitted to the private hospital were moved by ambulance to Supaul Sadar Hospital. The district administration subsequently sealed the clinic. A signboard outside the facility listed Dr Ramesh Kumar and Dr Santosh Kumar.
The incident has placed the functioning of the private facility and the response to the alleged treatment failure under official scrutiny. The police investigation is expected to examine the treatment provided to Chandni, the transfer to the trauma centre, the availability and use of blood, and the circumstances surrounding her death.
The station house officer said the family had submitted a written complaint and that the allegations would be investigated. No finding of medical negligence had been announced in the report, and the authorities had not disclosed the outcome of any medical or administrative inquiry.
