Bihar: ‘Fake’ Doc Operates on Pregnant Woman on Basis of Video Instructions; She Dies

Patna: Sangeeta Devi, a 26-year-old pregnant woman in Bihar's Rohtas district, died after a 'fake' doctor, locally well known as jholachaap, performed a Cesarean operation on the basis of a video call, officials said here on Friday.
The victim's family has filed a police complaint in Karakat police station against the doctor and the private nursing home where the surgery took place.
Devi’s family members informed police that they rushed her to a nearby primary health centre in Karakat following severe labour pain. But the doctors at the Primary Health Centre referred her for admission at Sadar Hospital in view of her health condition.
However, a local ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) worker allegedly convinced the family to take her to a private nursing home in place of the government-run Sadar Hospital.
According to the FIR, the pregnant woman's condition suddenly deteriorated during the surgery by the ‘fake’ doctor, who was allegedly following instructions on video call from another doctor. Her condition worsened, but the doctor refused to shift her to another hospital. She died on Thursday.
Although Devi died, her baby was saved. Angry family members protested and blamed the doctor for wrong surgery on the basis of a video call causing her death.
Fearing action, the alleged fake doctor, Rajdeo, and his staff fled soon after the woman died. He is reportedly absconding.
Police have sealed the private clinic on the order of the district civil surgeon, who also asked the officials concerned to probe the case and submit a report as soon as possible to him.
Devi’s case is an example of how pathetic the condition of healthcare is in rural Bihar. So-called ‘fake’ doctors are reportedly running hundreds of private clinics across the state and poor people become their victims. Most such cases go unreported.
This is not the first such reported case in rural Bihar. Last September (2024), a 15-year-old boy died following a ‘fake’ doctor or quack, Ajit Kumar Puri, performing a gall bladder stone removal surgery allegedly by watching YouTube videos on his mobile phone in Saran district. Puri was later arrested after police lodged a case against him on the basis of a written complaint by the boy’s family.
Earlier, Sunita Devi, 30, a Dalit woman’s kidneys were allegedly removed at a private clinic in Muzaffarpur district. She has battled for life for nearly two years and died few months ago. She was the mother of three minor children.
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