Probe real reason of 230 deaths in Maharashtra during doctors strike: Bombay high court to Maharashtra government

The Bombay high court has suggested to the state government to form a committee which would verify whether the 230 deaths that happened between July 1 and 7, when doctors associated with Maharashtra Association of Gazetted Medical Officers had called a strike, were natural or due to non-attendance of doctors.

During the strike, 125 men and 105 women died. Of these, 58 were children aged below one year and 36 were senior citizens.

A division bench of justices Naresh Patil and RV Ghuge said: “A committee has to be formed comprising the dean and tehsildar, who will verify deaths occurred during the strike period, but you tell us who would be on the committee.” The state has been asked to respond by Tuesday.

Earlier in the week, the government had submitted to the court that 230 deaths had occurred in the state during the strike period, but, as per inquiries conducted, they were due to serious ailments and not because of doctors' non-attendance.

Advocate Gunuratan Sadavarte argued before the court that there was no proper probe done to ascertain the actual reason for the deaths. Agreeing with him, the court said: “These are serious matters having larger consequences; it has to be brought on record as to who attended to the patients who died and why were they brought to the hospital. Statements of family members and tehsildar should be recorded.”

The court made this suggestion while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Sadavarte against the strike. Sadavarte wants the court to direct the government to invoke the Maharashtra Essential Service and Maintenance Act against the striking doctors.