Man seeks nod for mercy killing of wife

A 39-year-old man has appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to allow euthanasia for his ailing wife, who is in coma for the past two months following an alleged botched up surgery in a government hospital.
C Subramanian, a labourer from Kanyakumari District admitted his wife Seethalakshmi (34) in the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) here last week.
Subramanian told reporters that his wife fell into coma after the surgery to remove a thyroid nodule by a government taluk hospital in Kanyakumari District.
"Before this surgery on March 3, she was fine and normal. I went to government hospital as I did not have money to do the operation in a private facility."

Subsequently, she was treated at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital in Kerala. However, there was no progress. Hence, she was admitted in the RGGGH, where she continues to be unconscious.
"Doctors here as well told us that certain nerves in the neck were severed during surgery and are not hopeful about her recovery."

Alleging that surgical protocol stipulated for removing thryroid nodules was not followed, he charged that it had resulted in his wife falling into coma.
Stating that he was the breadwinner of the family and has two children, he said he had already spent Rs three lakh by taking loans for her treatment.

Subramanian urged the authorities to allow the mercy killing of his wife. He has also submitted a petition to top government officials at the State Secretariat.
RGGGH authorities declined to comment on both the health of the woman and if mercy killing was warranted.
Subramanian said that if government does not give the required permssion, it should bear the expenditure for her medical treatment.