Sonbhadra Childbirth Tragedy: ASHA Worker Dies After C-Section, Doctor and Staff Accused of Abandoning Patient

An  Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker lost her life during childbirth at a private hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra district, triggering allegations of severe medical negligence and sparking a police investigation.

Family members claim that the doctor who conducted the surgery and his medical team abandoned the patient in the operating theatre after a Caesarean section and fled the facility.

Authorities have registered a criminal case against Dr Naseem Ahmad, who allegedly operated, along with members of his medical staff.

The FIR includes charges under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to culpable homicide not amounting to murder and cheating.

Police have also invoked relevant provisions of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, as part of the ongoing investigation.

Police officials confirmed that a nurse identified as Salma and a hospital helper have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Meanwhile, a reward of ₹25,000 has been announced for information leading to the arrest of Dr Ahmad, who remains absconding.

Sonbhadra Circle Officer Harsh Pandey said multiple police teams are conducting raids to locate the accused.

He added that the hospital has been sealed, while investigators are collecting records and documentation related to its registration, operations, and medical practices from the health department.

According to the complaint filed by the victim’s husband, Dev Narayan, his wife Seema went into labour on the night of May 29.

Concerned about her condition, he first took her to a government Primary Health Centre (PHC). However, he allegedly found no doctor available at the facility at the time.

The complaint states that an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) examined Seema and administered medication.

After assessing her condition, the ANM reportedly informed the family that a normal delivery appeared unlikely and advised them that immediate specialised medical intervention would be required.

Narayan further alleged that the ANM recommended a private hospital in the Kon area, claiming she was familiar with the doctors there and that better treatment could be arranged.

A government ambulance was subsequently called, and Seema was referred to the private facility.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Narayan said he became concerned about the condition of the establishment. According to his complaint, the infrastructure and medical arrangements appeared inadequate.

Despite these concerns, he claimed that Dr Ahmad and his team insisted on proceeding with surgery.

Seema was taken into the operating theatre, where a Caesarean section was performed, and a baby boy was delivered.

The grieving husband alleged that his wife’s health deteriorated rapidly after the procedure.

He claimed that instead of providing proper post-operative care, the medical team abandoned her.

According to the complaint, the doctor and staff allegedly left the hospital after the surgery, resulting in Seema’s death.

Speaking about the incident, Narayan said only three individuals appeared to be running the facility—a man who introduced himself as a doctor and two women who identified themselves as nurses.

He claimed they remained inside the operating theatre for an extended period before disappearing.

“When I eventually entered the operating theatre, I found my wife’s body lying there,” Narayan alleged.

He claimed that she died shortly after giving birth and that the hospital staff left the premises, abandoning her on the operating table.

Seema and Dev Narayan were parents to four daughters, the eldest of whom is 11 years old. The birth of their son, which should have been a moment of joy for the family, instead ended in tragedy.

In his complaint, Narayan accused the hospital of gross medical negligence.

He further alleged that he later discovered Dr Ahmad possessed a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree and was neither qualified nor authorised to perform a complex obstetric surgery such as a Caesarean section.

Apart from investigating the circumstances surrounding Seema’s death, police are also examining allegations that an organised network may have been directing vulnerable patients from public healthcare facilities to private hospitals.

Investigators are looking into whether such referrals were part of a broader racket operating in the area.

As the investigation continues, authorities have assured that all aspects of the case, including medical practices, licensing issues, and possible collusion between healthcare providers, will be thoroughly examined.