Guwahati: An 18-year-old woman died after 25 days of battling complications following an alleged routine surgery in which her entire abdomen was slit open, prompting a magisterial probe.Jusmita Bora of Kachupathar allegedly underwent surgery at HGM Hospital (Nursing Home) in Golaghat on July 25 to remove a stone from her pancreatic duct. Her family alleged that her entire abdomen was slit open during the procedure. She was discharged five days later, but her condition deteriorated at home. She later received treatment in Jorhat and Guwahati before dying at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital last week.Golaghat district administration ordered the probe on Tuesday. Golaghat assistant commissioner Mousumi Barman will lead the inquiry, with a team of doctors examining the medical aspects of the case. A public hearing has been scheduled from Aug 26 to 29 to collect statements and supporting documents.“The probe will cover several aspects, including questioning Dr Bhaskar Hazarika, who performed the surgery, and meeting the family members of the deceased,” Barman said.Police detained Dr Hazarika after Jusmita’s family filed an FIR alleging medical negligence. Officials said she received treatment at multiple locations.The family alleged that the surgery was performed without properly assessing her condition and that the nursing home lacked the required facilities.“Dr Hazarika told me that Jusmita was suffering from internal bleeding caused by an infection. He then attempted the surgery for a second time, but I did not agree,” a relative said.The family claimed doctors in Jorhat questioned the manner in which the surgery was performed and later took Jusmita to Guwahati.“Doctors in Guwahati told us that the stitches were done more like stitching clothes than closing a surgical wound,” a family member said.Several organisations protested outside the nursing home on Tuesday, demanding its closure.
