IPC 304 A: Doctors Booked after patient dies from fatal bee attack

Bengaluru: The Doddabelavangala police is reported to have booked doctors attached to a government hospital and a district health officer in Bengaluru after a woman alleged that the doctors failed to give adequate treatment to her husband who was attacked by a swarm of bees.

Police claimed that eight people were attacked by bees at Nallenahalli village, near Doddaballapur, 40km from Bengaluru. Ramaiah and another man, Hanumaiah, died; the other six are under treatment.

Ramaiah’s wife, Vijayalakshmi alleged that they waited for more than two hours at the hospital in Kanasawadi village, near Doddaballapur, for a doctor to show up. but to no avail. The patient was eventually shifted to another hospital where he was declared brought dead.

“The victims arrived at the hospital in a 108 ambulance within an hour of the attack,” police informed TOI.

“Ramaiah’s wife alleges nurses at the hospital asked them to wait until a doctor arrived. They waited for more than two hours. Finally, Ramaiah’s friends and relatives took him to Nelamangala Government Hospital (about 25km away). They reached there by 6 pm, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.”

As per the complaint, the wife alleged that if the doctors provided timely treatment, her husband could have been saved, reports TOI. Police added that they are going to investigate the matter, in particular the allegation of absence of doctors from the hospital. A case under section 304A of the IPC (death due to negligence) has been registered based on a complaint.

Denying the absence of doctors at that moment, District health officer Dr Yogesh Gowda said that the victims were indeed advised to go to another hospital. Gowda said he would probe the case.

Gowda told the daily, “They (the hospital) deploy about 10 postgraduate interns who treat patients. A team of interns and nurses treated Ramaiah and others. But Ramaiah’s condition was critical and he died on the way to Nelamangala hospital. I am unaware of the police case against me, but I will cooperate with the police investigation.”