A pregnant woman who was chided by the Shahjahanpur district magistrate for conceiving a fourth child died during labour on Saturday.
In a video that went viral on Friday, Rekha, a resident of Singha village in the district’s Mirzapur area, was seen complaining to DM Indra Vikram Singh against the government hospital administration for not admitting her. In turn, Mr. Singh derided her for expecting her fourth child. “Tumhe sharm nahin aati (Don’t you feel ashamed),” the official was heard saying. When the local media approached him for a comment, Mr. Singh is reported to have said that he didn’t believe in answering impromptu questions.
On Saturday, Rekha passed away during labour. Her family members claimed that despite the DM’s intervention, no doctor had come to see her after she was admitted at the government hospital. “She felt disheartened and said that she should be taken out of the hospital,” said the woman’s brother-in-law Mukesh.
Pooja Pandey, the spokesperson for Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil Memorial Hospital is reported to have told local journalists that the pregnant woman hadn’t visited the hospital to get admitted. The hospital, however, had admitted her after the DM intervened. Ms. Pandey is reported to have asserted that as per the woman’s ultrasound report the delivery was due on August 28 and that as she was anaemic, the hospital had asked her family members to arrange for blood. However, the relatives had insisted on taking her away and the hospital had allowed it after taking a written statement, Ms. Pandey reportedly claimed. The hospital administration had constituted an inquiry committee to look into the claims of the family members, she had added.
On Saturday, Mr. Kumar asserted through a video message that he had only sought to advise the woman, who he claimed had taken it ‘in the right spirit’.
Family members and local leaders have demanded action against the district magistrate for showing ‘insensitivity’ towards a woman.
