Footballer Priya’s death: High Court denies doctors’ anticipatory bails

Madras High Court denied the anticipatory bails of two doctors who botched up the surgeries of teen footballer R Priya resulting in her death. Priya, who was studying first year of physical education at Queen Mary’s college, consulted doctors at Periyar Nagar government peripheral hospital for her leg pain. 

Following a test, the doctors told her that a ligament was found to be torn on her knee, and that it would have to be patched up through a surgery. When she met doctors of RGGGH for a second opinion, the same recommendation was made.

Periyar Nagar government peripheral hospital

The girl had undergone arthroscopy surgery at Periyar Nagar government peripheral hospital to repair the ligament on her right knee on November 7.  The next day, she was shifted to RGGGH as she was suspected to have a blood clot. Following a series of tests and treatments, doctors announced that the tissues on her right leg were dead, and the only way to save her life was to amputee her right leg.

On November 9, she had undergone the amputation surgery and then on November 14, she had undergone another surgery to remove more dead tissues.  Since then, she was on life support in the intensive care unit as she was unconscious. She was constantly monitored by the doctors. But she died on Tuesday morning around 7:15.

Two doctors – Balram Sankar and Somasundaram - at the Periyar Nagar hospital were transferred after negligence on their part were found by an inquiry committee ordered by the state government and legal action has been taken against them.

Now, the doctors had approached the court seeking anticipatory bail stating that they will have to appear before the inquiry committee and they will do nothing to tamper with the evidence. However, the court denied the sought bail and adjourned the case for two weeks.