Guj woman, newborn die after doctor conducts delivery drunk

A doctor in Gujarat's Botad district has been arrested for allegedly conducting a delivery in an inebriated state leading to the death of the mother and the newborn child, police said Tuesday.

According to police, Kaminiben Chanchiya (22) was brought to Botad's government-run Sonawala Hospital, around 160 kilometres from here, late Monday night and the delivery was conducted by Dr P J Lakhani.

The newborn girl child died followed by Chanchiya some time later, prompting the victim's kin to accuse the doctor of negligence, said Botad Superintendent of Police Harshad Mehta.

"The police found that the doctor was drunk while on duty. He was first booked under the Prohibition Act and was arrested. His blood sample was sent for testing," Mehta said.

Prohibition is in force in Gujarat.

Chanchiya's body has been sent to Bhavnagar Civil Hospital for post mortem and the autopsy report, as per rules, will be sent to a committee headed by the civil surgeon to examine and ascertain negligence on part of the accused, Mehta added.

"As per Supreme Court guidelines, only a committee headed by a civil surgeon can determine negligence charges. If the report is positive, we will book him under provisions of IPC related to negligence," he said.

Lakhani's superiors and the District Development Officer have been intimated of his arrest as the accused is a Class II official, Mehta said.