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JAMMU: A 35-year-old pregnant woman died allegedly due to medical negligence while going through labour pain at a hospital in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, prompting authorities to order a magisterial inquiry, officials said.

Shaista Begum, a resident of Binola Amritgarh Chiralla village, was brought to district hospital Doda last evening and died this morning, triggering protests by her relatives who accused the doctors and paramedical staff of negligence, the officials said.

Begum's husband Imtiaz Ahmad Khan alleged that she was left unattended in the labour room after initial treatment, resulting in the death of the woman and the unborn child.

He alleged that the doctors and the nurses posted in the labour room preferred to sleep despite repeated pleas from the family members that the condition of the patient had deteriorated.

District Development Commissioner, Doda, Simrandeep Singh said a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the death of the woman.

"A magisterial inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the facts. The family also highlighted that they were forced to move to the district hospital as their local sub-centre at Binola in GThathri block was closed for several days," Singh told PTI.

Subsequently, he said Thathri block medical officer was asked to visit the sub-centre at Binola and check the attendance of the staff posted there.

The medical officer, in his report, confirmed that the sub-centre was found locked during surprise inspection, said the district development commissioner.

"Prima facie, it appears to be a case of gross negligence on the part of local health officials at Thathri block which ultimately culminated into the death of an unborn child and the woman at district hospital Doda," he said.

Taking strong note of the dereliction of duty by the health officials, Singh said two female multipurpose health workers, posted at the sub-centre, were placed under suspension with immediate effect and asked to report to planning section of deputy commissioner's office, Doda, for time bound departmental inquiry.

He said the chief medical officer would make alternate arrangements for the functioning of the sub-centre Binola.

