India: Kerala doctor dies by suicide, days after child's death in surgery

Anoop Krishna, a 35-year-old doctor from Kollam district in the Indian state of Kerala, was found dead at his home on Thursday. Police are investigating if his death has anything to do with the death of a child in his clinic a few days ago. He was the owner of ‘Anoop Ortho care’ hospital located in Kadappakada of Kollam district.

A week ago, a six-year-old child, Adhya Lakshmi, was admitted to the hospital for the surgery. Later, she died at the hospital, and the parents complained against the hospital alleging that anaesthesia had caused the child’s death.

Reportedly, the doctor was harassed on social media and many other online platforms, accusing him of the death of the child.

While talking to Indian news sources, police officials said: “We had taken the case against the hospital for unnatural death. The child was under treatment in the hospital. We are not sure whether the two incidents are connected. The reason for his suicide is not yet known.

“Further details will be known only after the postmortem report. We are not sure whether the doctor was depressed after the incident. He was found dead in his house.”

Moments before his death, he had reportedly scribbled the word ‘sorry’ on the walls of the bathroom.

On September 23, the child had suffered a cardiac arrest during a knee surgery that was led by Dr Krishna. Although she was taken to another hospital, she passed away. The family of the deceased along with locals staged protests in front of the hospital, holding Dr Krishna responsible.

However, the hospital authorities had said that a heart attack during surgery caused the child’s death and the doctor is guiltless.

‘Anoop Ortho Care’ hospital was known for knee replacement surgery. The hospital also has a department, especially for pediatric orthopaedic conditions. Krishna was a degree holder in Master of Science(MS), and he specialised in Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine and Arthroplasty, according to their official website.

Apart from Krishna, the hospital has two other doctors; a pediatric orthopaedic and an anaesthetist. Anoop was an orthopaedic surgeon at the hospital. He was also a familiar face on multiple television programmes on health issues in Kerala.

Dr Sulphi Noohu, an ENT consultant and vice-president of the Kerala chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA), wrote on Facebook that Dr Krishna had agreed to the child's surgery after several doctors declined to do it, perhaps citing COVID-19 risks.

Meanwhile, several doctors in Kerala pledged their support for Dr Krishna, censuring the trial by social media and online portals.