In a significant case of alleged medical negligence, the Mananthavady police have booked a doctor and several nursing staff members at the Government Medical College Hospital in Wayanad. The action follows a complaint by a woman who claims a surgical cloth was left inside her body after she gave birth at the facility last year.
The First Information Report (FIR) names Dr Mounika and the duty nurses under Sections 125 and 125(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deal with acts endangering the life or personal safety of others. According to the complainant, she delivered her baby on October 20, 2025, but started to experience persistent abdominal pain and physical distress shortly thereafter. She alleges that despite repeated requests the staff that something felt "stuck" inside her, her concerns were dismissed.
The woman’s ordeal reportedly lasted 75 days. She claims that during a follow-up visit on October 23, hospital staff failed to provide a proper diagnosis and instead prescribed medication intended to "clean the stomach." It wasn't until December 29 that a piece of cloth finally passed from her body, providing immediate physical relief. "I need justice," she told reporters, expressing frustration that her repeated pleas for help were ignored by the medical team.
The cloth has since been handed over to an expert panel as evidence. While the police investigation moves forward, Wayanad District Medical Officer (DMO) Ancy Paul Jacob confirmed that a three-member committee is currently conducting an internal inquiry. The DMO stated that the findings will be submitted to the Director of Health Services and the Directorate of Medical Education, though she declined to comment further on the specifics of the case until the expert report is finalised.
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