In a shocking case of alleged medical negligence, police in Ambedkar Nagar, Lucknow, have arrested two unqualified individuals for reportedly conducting a caesarean section at an unregistered private hospital, resulting in the death of a woman during childbirth.

The accused have been identified as Yogesh Verma (32), a BA graduate from Malipur, and Shubham Vishwakarma (19), an intermediate student from Sultanpur. According to police, the duo performed surgeries at Navjeevan Hospital in Baskhari despite lacking any recognised medical degree or formal surgical training.

The victim, Priyanka, was admitted to the hospital on February 5 for delivery. Police said the two men allegedly carried out a C-section, after which she delivered a baby girl. However, her condition deteriorated soon after the procedure. She experienced excessive bleeding following the administration of anaesthesia. As her health worsened, she was referred to Lucknow for advanced treatment, where she later died.

The incident sparked protests by the victim’s family members, prompting swift police action. The hospital’s operator, identified as Ruby, fled the premises following the incident and remains absconding. Authorities have seized mobile phones and other materials linked to the case and launched a search operation to trace her whereabouts.

Baskhari SHO Sunil Kumar Pandey, who is leading the investigation, said preliminary findings revealed that the accused had been conducting surgeries for some time. Verma allegedly learned basic medical procedures while assisting his father, a ward boy at a community health centre. Vishwakarma reportedly claimed during questioning that he gained experience by observing medical procedures at a local hospital after completing Class 12.

Police sources further revealed that the duo allegedly charged between ₹3,000 and ₹5,000 per caesarean operation — significantly lower than the fees charged by qualified surgeons — thereby attracting economically weaker patients seeking affordable treatment.

Following directions from the Chief Medical Officer, a joint inspection was carried out on the night of February 8 by health and administrative officials along with local police. The inspection found that the hospital had been operating illegally for nearly five years from four rooms in a residential building without mandatory registration, biomedical waste authorisation, fire safety clearance, or the required qualified medical staff.

Officials reported that no signboard displaying registration details was found at the premises. Various medicines, surgical instruments, and medical equipment were seized during the inspection. After preparing an inventory, authorities sealed all four rooms in the presence of the sub-divisional magistrate and police personnel.

An FIR was lodged on February 9 based on a complaint from the Community Health Centre. Police said further investigation is underway.

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