Critical patient turned away by KGMU dies; Allahabad HC expresses shock
KGMU
Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court has termed the situation shocking after the emergency department at King George's Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, allegedly denied admission to a woman in critical condition, due to the non-availability of beds. The woman died the next day without receiving necessary treatment.
The court was hearing the case after a petition was filed in connection with an FIR registered at Kherighat police station in the Bahraich district in an alleged dowry death case. During the proceedings, the court examined a report submitted by KGMU.
According to the report, on August 29, 2025, at about 2:33 am, the patient who was allegedly poisoned was brought to the hospital in critical condition. The initial medical opinion recorded was “suspected rat kill poisoning at 10 pm.” However, she was not admitted, and the record mentioned, “regret no bed available, refer to Balrampur/RML hospital.” The patient subsequently died.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, while hearing the matter on February 11, a division bench headed by Justice Abdul Moin and Justice Babita Rani made strong observations regarding the refusal of admission.
The bench stated, “Once the premier Medical Institute of the State Capital is itself returning back a patient, indicating the non-availability of beds, prima facie, it speaks volumes about the state of the medical health facility in the State Capital. We are shocked!”
The court directed the Chief Secretary to look into the issue of adequate facilities in medical colleges and submit a report by the next date of listing, March 19. It further ordered, “The report would be brought on record with the personal affidavit of the principal secretary (Home) by the next date of listing, failing which, the principal secretary (Home) may be directed to appear personally,” signalling that accountability would be fixed if compliance is lacking.
The bench also expressed concern over delays in forensic investigation. It noted that the victim’s viscera was sent for examination to the Forensic Science Laboratory on September 26, 2025, but even after four months, the report had not been filed.
The court observed that authorities are obligated to ensure timely submission of FSL reports and added, “In case there is a shortage of staff or there are fewer laboratories, it is for the State authorities to wake up from slumber and take appropriate action inasmuch as it is not expected that every citizen would approach the court even to get a report from the Forensic Science Laboratory.”
KGMU has around 4,500 beds on campus, including nearly 400 in the trauma centre, which sees an average daily footfall of about 350 patients. The OPD handles approximately 4,000 patients daily, with numbers crossing 7,000 on some days. For doctors and hospital administrators, the court’s order underscores the medico-legal and ethical responsibilities attached to emergency care, particularly in poisoning cases where timely admission and intervention can be critical.
