Kanpur Hand Amputation Case To Be Reinvestigated, ITBP Officers Join Fresh Probe

Kanpur: The health department has ordered a fresh inquiry into the hand amputation case of Nirmala Devi, mother of an ITBP jawan, after allegations that the earlier investigation report was biased. ITBP officers will now be part of the probe along with police officials.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Haridatt Nemi said the earlier report had been prepared transparently on the basis of facts and submitted to the police commissioner. However, questions raised by ITBP and police officials led to the decision for a reinvestigation.

Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal has nominated an officer to join the inquiry panel. The officer will examine medical records, statements and findings along with the doctors’ team. Members of the inquiry committee said the initial investigation was conducted fairly and transparently. They added that the woman was a cardiac patient and blockage in the blood vessels of her hand resulted in the amputation.

Officials said the exact cause could become clearer after histopathology examination of the amputated hand. According to the report, delays at both hospitals may have contributed to the worsening of the condition.

The committee said there could be two possible reasons behind the blockage in the arteries. One possibility is thrombosis, in which blood clots travel from the heart and get lodged in the arteries of the hand. The second possibility is compartment syndrome, where severe pain and swelling in the hand may have been ignored, eventually leading to amputation.

Inquiry committee chairman and ACMO Dr Ramit Rastogi said verified documents from both hospitals were examined. He rejected allegations that a fake TMT report of the patient had been used.

“Since the patient had a cardiac condition, a TMT could not have been conducted. We never received any TMT report. We received only echo and Doppler reports,” he said, adding that statements of doctors and hospital staff had also been recorded.

Also Watch:

The issue escalated after 40 to 50 armed ITBP personnel accompanied senior officers to the Kanpur Police Commissioner’s office on Saturday in support of jawan Vikas Singh. The officers questioned the findings of the CMO’s report and demanded a fair investigation.

Later theu met CMO. A meeting between police officials, ITBP officers and the CMO lasted nearly three hours, after which all sides agreed to conduct a fresh inquiry. Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal later clarified that there was no gherao at the office and the personnel present were escort staff accompanying senior ITBP officers.

“The CMO committee will conduct a fresh investigation. There is no dispute between agencies,” the commissioner said.

ITBP Commandant Gaurav Prasad also denied any confrontation and said the force only wanted justice for its personnel’s family. He added that police authorities were cooperating fully in the matter.

Former DGP Vikram Singh said the alleged medical negligence leading to the amputation was deeply unfortunate and action must be taken against those found guilty.

Meanwhile, police have secured CCTV footage from Krishna Hospital and Paras Hospital to determine what transpired during the 12 hours before the woman’s hand developed severe complications. Investigators are also examining what injections were administered and by whom.

Additional Police Commissioner Dr Vipin Tada and Kalyanpur SHO Dr Sumedh Jadhav, both of whom have medical backgrounds, have also been assigned to assist in the investigation. Officials said an ITBP doctor has sought clarification on several medical aspects of the case.