Odisha: KIMS doctors to be questioned over missing post-mortem in student death

Kalinga: Doctors at the Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) are under scrutiny for allegedly failing to conduct a post-mortem on a Class IX tribal student who died at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in Bhubaneswar.

The police investigating the case are expected to question the doctors soon, suspecting possible procedural lapses and an attempt to cover up the circumstances surrounding the student's death. The cops are probing whether any instructions were given to avoid a post-mortem and whether there was pressure to portray the death as non-suspicious.

Also read- Odisha doctor accused of issuing incorrect death report without conducting post-mortem

As per Odisha TV news report, the student was allegedly strangled to death, but the cause of death was reportedly mentioned as cardiac arrest following diarrhoea.

The case triggered public outrage after the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) accused the doctors involved of issuing an incorrect death certificate without conducting a post-mortem.

Medical Dialogues reported that the commission questioned how the student’s body was shifted without a post-mortem and said the doctors involved should be brought under investigation.

The case relates to the death of a 14-year-old student who was allegedly strangulated by three fellow inmates in the intervening night of December 11 and 12 over a petty issue. Three students, eight KISS employees, and staff members have been suspended in this regard.

Following this, a private doctor's role was dragged into the case after the OSCPCR found that the doctor did not conduct a post-mortem of the child's body. Without examining the body, the commission alleged that the doctor had issued an incorrect death report.

Police officials indicated that the doctor could be questioned soon, as investigators believe his statement may be the key to uncovering the mastermind behind the incident and identifying any possible attempt to suppress facts.

Meanwhile, police have sought a technical opinion from a medical board to review the conduct of the doctors who treated the student at KIMS. A detailed report on the medical treatment provided, along with post-mortem findings, has been sent to the board for expert evaluation.

The medical board has been asked to assess whether the clinical records prepared by the treating doctors match the post-mortem findings and follow standard medical protocols. The police have flagged an apparent mismatch between the treatment documents prepared by the doctors at KIMS, Bhubaneswar and the post-mortem findings.

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