Threat to Mariyam’s kin: Withdraw case

Bangalore: The Karnataka government committee’s probe into the Mariyam Kausar medical negligence case still hasn’t turned up any results. It’s been over a fortnight since the three-year-old was hurt in a fall and was taken to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, where she was scheduled for a surgery.

But hours later, doctors emerged from the operation theatre to tell the family she had been shifted to the ICU. Mar­iyam had, apparently, suffered a massive brain hem­orrhage. Now in a coma, she is still battling for life.

The committee set up by the government last week was supposed to send results of its probe to the Karnataka Health Ministry, so proper action can be initiated against the doctors, if necessary.
Meanwhile, the family alleges that they have been receiving calls and had people trying to bribe them into putting an end to the case.

Reshma, Mariyam’s au­nt, said, “People have been trying to reach Rafi­ulla. They followed him all the way to Chikb­allapur, where they tried to bribe him and talk him into settling the issue internally.” The family isn’t sure who these mysterious callers are, however. “We don’t know whether the anesthetist or the orthopedic surgeon are to blame for this, so we can’t say who is following us.

According to Mar­iya­m’s uncle, Rafiulla, “Peo­ple have been calling us for days, asking us to dilute the case. I spoke to people calling on beh­alf of Dr Prakes­happa and Abdul Kha­deer.” He also alleges that the callers have been requ­esting him to highlight the anesthetists’ names, not theirs.”

“They have been telling me that it was not their fault and it was the anesthetists who were responsible for Mariyam’s cond­­ition,” said Rafiulla. The three-year-old’s un­cle added that the doctors promised to settle her medical expenses provided the family does not drag their names into it.