On Saturday noon, 28-year-old Kalaivani gave birth to a healthy girl child at a private hospital in T. Nagar. On Sunday afternoon, she was pronounced dead at the same hospital.
Alleging negligence by doctors, Kalaivani’s relatives protested outside the hospital on Sunday.
K. Kalaivani, a resident of MMDA Colony, Arumbakkam, was married to S. Vinod Kumar, a flower-seller, and the couple had a three-year-old daughter, apart from the newborn.
On Friday, Kalaivani was admitted to Women and Children Foundation Hospital on North Usman Road, T. Nagar, for delivery.
“She gave birth to a girl around 12.30 p.m. on Saturday. Doctors said she had extensive bleeding and needed to undergo surgeries,” said Vasanthi, Kalaivani’s aunt. Her cousin Meganathan said they paid Rs. 1.65 lakh for Kalaivani’s treatment.
“After the delivery and three surgeries, the hospital staff did not allow anybody, including Kalaivani’s husband Vinod, to visit her. Around 11 a.m. on Sunday, they informed us she had passed away and we needed to pay Rs. 1 lakh more to receive the body,” he said.
Claiming the surgeries had gone wrong, resulting in Kalaivani’s death, her relatives staged a protest on the hospital premises.
Police teams led by deputy commissioner (T. Nagar) P. Pakalavan reached the spot and pacified the protesters.
“We have carried out preliminary probe and sent the body to Government Royapettah Hospital. Further action will be initiated as per law based on the post-mortem report,” said Mr. Pakalavan outside the hospital. The hospital authorities were not available for comment.
The Soundarapandiyanar Angadi police registered a case under Section 174 part 3 of CrPC for suspicious death and are investigating.