The seventy-year-old has been suffering for a decade from a painful condition, disc prolapse, commonly called ‘slip disc’.
The first euthanasia petitioner in Karnataka, Karibasamma, 70, sees hope in Monday’s verdict of the Supreme Court, allowing what has come to be termed ‘passive euthanasia,’ the withdrawal of life support to patients in a permanently vegetative state (PVS).
The verdict, however, rejected outright ‘active euthanasia’ or ending life through the administration of lethal substances, and turned down the plea to allow Aruna Shanbaug, who has been in a vegetative state for 37 years, to die.
Karibasamma’s mercy killing case will come up for hearing this Friday in the Karnataka high court.
The seventy-year-old has been suffering for a decade from a painful condition, disc prolapse, commonly called ‘slip disc’. A retired teacher with no family members caring for her, Karibasamma has been living in an old age home in Davanagere. Frustrated and suffering acute pain, Karibasamma filed a plea seeking mercy killing in the high court.
Talking to DNA on Monday, Karibasamma said she felt hopeful after learning of the verdict in the Supreme Court in the case related to Aruna Shanbaug. She added that she did not need her family’s consent to end her life.
“I suffer the pain, not my family,” she said, hoping that the panel of doctors to be constituted would support her.
Advocate Pramila Nesargi, who has been arguing Karibasamma’s case, said, “I will bring to the notice of the judge the orders of the Supreme Court, and seek the constitution of a panel of doctors.” Nesargi said that the panel would serve as a permanent committee, and the first case it would look into would be Karibasamma’s.
In the last hearing of this case in September 2010, the high court directed the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans) to give free treatment to Karibasamma for four weeks and submit a report. The Nimhans report suggested that Karibasamma undergo an operation. “In the wake of the Supreme Court’s verdict, those reports will hold no value,” Nesargi said.
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