Name Mix-Up Turns Fatal: BHU Faces Heat After Wrong Surgery Kills 71-Year-Old

A shocking case of alleged medical negligence at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Trauma Centre has triggered outrage after a 71-year-old woman died following a suspected wrong surgical procedure , with the hospital yet to announce any compensation or accept responsibility.

The deceased, Radhika Devi from Amritpur, was admitted on February 25 with complaints related to a spinal cord tumour and was undergoing treatment in the neurosurgery department . According to her family, she was scheduled for a critical spinal operation. However, on March 7 , doctors allegedly performed a thigh surgery instead , reportedly due to a mix-up involving another patient with the same first name.

Her grandson, Mrityunjay Pal , claimed that doctors failed to detect any fracture during the procedure and stitched the wound before shifting her out of the ICU. Following the incident, her condition rapidly deteriorated , necessitating another surgery on March 18 . Despite continued treatment, she succumbed on March 27 , raising serious questions about hospital protocols and patient safety systems.

Hospital sources later confirmed that two patients named Radhika were admitted simultaneously one in neurosurgery for a tumour and another, Radhika Singh (82) , in orthopaedics for a leg fracture. The similarity in names is suspected to have led to the fatal error, though experts point out that such incidents should be preventable through standard multi-layered patient identification protocols .

Responding to the allegations, IMS Director M N Shankhwar stated that a four-member inquiry committee has been constituted and that further action will depend on its findings. Notably, the hospital has neither admitted negligence nor issued an apology so far.

Crucially, no compensation or financial assistance has been announced for the victim’s family, reflecting what observers describe as a “wait-for-the-report” approach commonly adopted by institutions in such cases. Legal experts note that any compensation or disciplinary action will likely depend on the outcome of the inquiry or potential court intervention.

The incident has sparked wider concerns about breakdowns in surgical safety checks , including failure in patient identification, pre-operative verification (“time-out”), and inter-departmental communication . Medical guidelines mandate confirmation of the right patient, right procedure, and right site , making such an error particularly alarming.

As the probe continues, the case underscores the urgent need for stricter accountability and robust safety protocols in public healthcare institutions, even as the victim’s family awaits answers and justice.