A tragic incident has unfolded in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, where a 23-year-old woman lost her life shortly after giving birth at the Jwalamukhi civil hospital. Following the delivery, the patient experienced severe bleeding complications and was subsequently transferred to Tanda Medical College, where she succumbed during emergency medical care. The sudden fatality sparked widespread anger among family members, who assembled outside the Jwalamukhi hospital premises to stage demonstrations and shout slogans against local health authorities, alleging grave negligence and demanding an impartial administrative inquiry.
Hospital Admission on Wednesday Morning and Successful Delivery
The deceased has been identified as 23-year-old Trikala Devi, wife of Deepak Dogra and resident of Taridi village in the Majheen belt. According to family accounts, Trikala Devi was brought to the Jwalamukhi medical facility around 5 AM on Wednesday after experiencing labor symptoms, following which she was formally admitted for care. After regular medical observation through the day, she successfully delivered a healthy baby boy at approximately 3:30 PM in the afternoon.
Following standard procedural protocol, the new mother was kept under continuous post-delivery observation inside the facility. However, nearly an hour after the childbirth, she developed an unexpected and intense bout of heavy bleeding. Her vital health parameters started to deteriorate rapidly, prompting on-duty medical staff to initiate emergency countermeasures on site.
Allegations of Delayed Referral and Calls for Justice
The grieving family members have levelled direct accusations of administrative and clinical lapses against the Jwalamukhi hospital authorities. They stated that the excessive bleeding continued uninterrupted, questioning why timely referral action was not initiated if the local facility lacked the specialized equipment or surgical capability to halt the hemorrhage.
Family representatives contended that the critical transfer to a higher tertiary healthcare centre was delayed until the situation slipped completely out of control. The patient was eventually dispatched to Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Tanda, where she breathed her last despite medical intervention. Refusing to accept the sudden loss silently, relatives gathered in protest, insisting that strict responsibility must be fixed and thorough scrutiny conducted into the clinical timeline.
BMO Cites Sudden Postpartum Haemorrhage and Confirms Review
Clarifying the clinical sequence, Block Medical Officer (BMO) Dr. Pawan Sharma of Jwalamukhi hospital stated that the delivery concluded around 3:30 PM, after which the patient remained under observation. Approximately an hour later, the patient developed acute, heavy bleeding, clinically diagnosed as postpartum haemorrhage (PPH).
The medical officer explained that medical protocols require doctors to attempt immediate stabilization and manage blood loss locally before transporting a fragile patient across distances. According to the BMO, doctors and nursing personnel administered necessary emergency treatments to arrest the hemorrhage. When the bleeding failed to subside adequately, the clinical team took the decision to transfer her to the higher tertiary institution at Tanda, where her passing was later communicated.
Dr. Pawan Sharma affirmed that hospital administrators received a formal written complaint from the bereaved family and assured them of transparent proceedings. A detailed clinical audit will examine what occurred immediately following delivery, the exact nature of the medical interventions administered, the progression of her health parameters, and the circumstances under which the referral took place.
Family Plunged Into Mourning Two Years After Marriage
According to relatives, Trikala Devi had married Deepak Dogra roughly two years ago. Deepak works as a daily-wage laborer to support his family. The birth of the couple's firstborn son had initially brought widespread celebration to the modest household, only to be overtaken by devastating grief within hours. Sandeep Dhawal from Police District Dehra confirmed the developments, stating that a completely fair and thorough investigation will be executed based on clinical findings and official records.
