Steephan Kayyar

Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod

Kasargod, July 15: A routine medical procedure took a fatal turn on Wednesday when a nine-year-old schoolboy tragically died on the operating table at the Kasaragod Government General Hospital, sparking fierce protests and allegations of severe medical malpractice.

The deceased, Muhammad Iyaz—a fourth-standard student at Kundanguli Government School—was the son of Bedadka Talekunnu residents Ashraf and Bushra. He had been admitted to the hospital on Wednesday morning to undergo a minor surgical procedure to correct an abdominal issue.

According to hospital officials, the young boy suffered a sudden, catastrophic cardiac arrest mid-surgery, which ultimately led to his death.

However, the family has angrily contested this explanation. Visibly distraught, the boy’s father, Ashraf, lashed out at the hospital authorities: "We were kept completely in the dark throughout the entire procedure and were only informed of the situation after our child had already died."

Believing a major treatment lapse was the actual cause of death, grieving relatives and local residents staged a tense protest on the hospital premises, demanding immediate accountability.

The local police have since registered a case of unnatural death and initiated a thorough investigation. To uncover the precise medical cause of the tragedy, the boy’s body has been sent to Pariyaram Medical College for a post-mortem examination.

Meanwhile, the state Health Department has also ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident.