In a shocking incident of medical negligence, a doctor at the Balaji Institute of Surgery, Research and Rehabilitation for Disabled (BIRRD) in Andhra Pradesh, operated on the wrong leg of a 26-year-old accident victim, cutting open his healthy leg.

The incident took place at the BIRRD, which is run by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), on Saturday, but came to light on Tuesday.

According to media reports, the victim’s friend, who works as a doctor at the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) in Tirupati, visited him on Sunday and realised that the operation had been performed on the unaffected leg.

Following this, his family approached higher authorities of the BIRRD demanding justice while the hospital's director Dr G Jagadeesh also informed TTD Board chairman P Sudhakar Yadav about the incident.

Speaking to reporters after paying a visit to the hospital on Tuesday evening, Sudhakar Yadav told local reporters, "Today, after receiving information about the incident, we conducted an inspection. Everything is under control now and Dr Jagadeesh is monitoring the situation. The victim hailed from Saraswathi peta village and had met with an accident, following which he was brought to the hospital."

Sudhakar Yadav also visited the patient and assured him that the hospital would ensure that it rectified the error that occurred.

"The doctor who was supposed to conduct an operation for one leg, operated the healthy leg. It is complete negligence and gross dereliction of duties. We have already issued orders to suspend the doctors and no other patient should face such a situation ever again," he added.

According to the TTD’s website, “BIRRD treats patients suffering from polio mellitus, cerebral palsy, congenital anomalies, spinal injuries, and the orthopedically handicapped. It makes used of state-of-the-art medical technology and provides services to the poor, at no cost. It also distributes artificial limbs, calipers and aids, free of cost, to the needy and the poor. Food and medicines are supplied free of cost. TTD accepts generous contributions from the philanthropists to this reputed medical institute, to meet the expenses of inpatients undergoing medication in the BIRRD.”