Kerala: 9 years after he consumed patient's medicine, doctor dies

KOCHI: Dr. P.A. Biju, an ayuverdic physician, who was in coma for the past nine years after consuming a medicine  to prove its efficacy, died on Monday. He had taken the medicine on  January 25, 2007 when he was working  in the government ayurvedic clinic at Bison Valley in Idukki district. A patient named Karyam Kunnel Shantha, suffering from arthritis, was being treated by the doctor for long. According to those close to the doctor,  the woman had shown improvement in her condition. On January 24, 2007 also, the doctor prescribed Rasanapanchakam Kashayam for her.

The next day,  a group of people led by her husband  Rajappan came to the clinic with the bottle of the medicine and confronted  Dr. Biju  stating that Santha had fallen  unconscious after consuming it. They held him responsible for her condition.  The doctor protested against the allegation and said that he was ready to consume the medicine himself to prove his credibility. There are also allegations that the crowd forced  him to drink the same medicine. After consuming it,  the doctor vomited immediately and fell unconscious. 

He was initially treated in a hospital at  Kothamangalam and then was shifted to another hospital in Ernakulam. But by then he slipped into coma and has been in that state for the next nine years. The investigation into  the case later proved that  the woman’s husband   had mixed some insecticide in the medicine to harm his wife following a quarrel with her. He was arrested  in connection with the case. Dr. Biju is survived by his wife Dr. Shinsy, who is also an ayurvedic doctor, and two children Vaishnavi and Vishnu. Dr. Biju was the second of the three children of Ayyappan and Sheela of Puthenpurayil house at Pandiri near Payipra.