A couple claims their son passed away at Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital as a result of medical malpractice

A couple petitioned District Collector G Lakshmipathy on January 17, claiming that their 9-year-old son had died hours after being admitted to the Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital (TKMCH), purportedly as a result of neglect.

The Anna Nagar couple Maheswari and Karupasamy filed a plea stating that their only child, K Muthumanikandan, a class four student, was admitted to TKMCH early on January 17 due to a severe stomach pain. Following a check-up, the physician ordered a scan and hospitalized him as an inpatient. But since it was Pongal, there was no technician on duty.

We asked many staff members to arrange for a technician on several occasions, but they refused. Upon being informed that technicians were unavailable, the worried physician proceeded without obtaining a scan report. He later gave us a blood transfusion, although we had no idea why. In addition, we were instructed to leave the ward and were not allowed to take pictures while the process was going on. Maheswari said, “They also stole our phones and erased pictures that a relative had taken.”

Muthumanikandan allegedly passed away in a matter of minutes. The doctor allegedly instructed the pair to remove the corpse and cremate it right away and to keep the death a secret from others.

Maheswari said, “The doctors, nurses, and technicians are responsible for my son’s murder,” and he pleaded with Chief Minister MK Stalin to punish the negligent employees who worked on January 17 from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The couple asked the district government to file a murder prosecution against those responsible, demanding justice for Muthumanikandan. Dr. Sivakumar, the dean of TKMCH, did not reply when reached.