Telangana govt held vicariously liable for medical negligence, additional Rs 8 lakh compensation ordered in tubectomy death case

Hyderabad: The Telangana Human Rights Commission recently held the state government vicariously liable for medical negligence over the death of a woman after a tubectomy surgery at the Government Community Health Centre in Wanaparthy district.

It directed the state government to pay an additional Rs 8 lakh as compensation and employment to the deceased's husband.

In H.R.C. No.2355 of 2018, by an order dated January 6, 2026, the Commission headed by Justice Shameem Akther found that the patient died due to complications arising from ileal perforation during surgery and delayed detection, which resulted in septic peritonitis and cardio-pulmonary arrest. The Commission rejected the claim that the death occurred due to mere physiological complications, reports UNI

Rejecting the explanation that her death was due to mere physiological complications, the Commission held the State government vicariously liable for the negligence that occurred at the government healthcare facilities.

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According to the complaint, filed on July 10, 2017, the patient was taken to a government hospital by a village ASHA worker and admitted for tubectomy surgery without the family’s consent. The complainant, her brother-in-law, stated that soon after the surgery, her stomach got swollen and she started facing inconvenience.

After seeing the swelling, the doctor who conducted the tubectomy operation on the deceased referred her to Government Hospital in Wanaparthy and from there, she was again referred to Osmania General Hospital, Hyderabad, where she died on July 9, 2017, while undergoing treatment.

The complainant alleged that despite lodging a complaint with police and the Collector, Wanaparthy district, no action was taken. Stating that Lalitha has two minor children, the complainant requested the Commission to take action against the persons responsible for her death, reports Deccan Chronicle.

The Commission also observed that the earlier compensation of Rs 2 lakh paid to the family was wholly inadequate. It took note of the fact that the deceased is survived by a disabled husband and two minor children and recommended payment of an additional Rs 8 lakh as compensation.

As per the UNI report, the TGHRC further advised the State government to provide suitable employment to the husband to ensure livelihood security and enable the family to live with dignity.

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