Karnataka: Seven-year-old boy dies of injection overdose, doctor booked

Chikkamagaluru: A  seven-year-old boy died allegedly due to an injection overdose in the Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka on Saturday.

The deceased has been identified as Sonesh, a resident of Kenchapura village near Ajjampura town.

Sonesh’s father Ashok has lodged a police complaint against a private doctor at the Ajjampura police station.

According to the police, Sonesh had been suffering from a high fever after which his parents rushed him to a private clinic.

Ashok said that Dr Varun administered an injection to Sonesh on his back and sent him home. However, Sonesh developed blisters on the back and was subsequently transferred to a private hospital in Shivamogga. Unfortunately, he succumbed at the hospital on Friday.

Sonesh’s parents alleged that the overdose of the drug caused their son’s death and filed a police complaint against Varun.

Preliminary investigations have revealed Varun holds a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree and did not have the authority to administer injections to patients.

The police have taken up the case for investigation and stated that legal action will be initiated against the doctor. Further details regarding the incident are yet to emerge.

On July 5, a baby, whose genitals were allegedly cut during a caesarean delivery in Karnataka’s Davanagere district, died of his injuries. The family protested demanding action against the erring doctor. The child’s relatives protested outside Chigateri District Hospital, demanding accountability and action against the doctor.

On June 5, the S.R. Nagar police in Bengaluru registered a case of medical negligence against a private hospital after a seven-year-old boy allegedly died due to an overdose of anaesthesia.

In August 2023, the Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (KSCDRC) directed a reputed hospital and a pediatric surgeon to pay Rs 10 lakh in compensation for the death of a 16-month-old boy.