28-Year-Old Farzana Anjum Perishes After Childbirth as Family Alleges Dr. Pallavi Demanded Bribe for Care; Unanswered Questions on Past Inquiries Haunt Health Minister, Commissioner Secretary, and District Administration
- A 28-year-old mother, Farzana Anjum, died at District Hospital Poonch after childbirth amidst shocking allegations that Gynaecologist Dr. Pallavi demanded a ₹50,000 bribe for “proper medical care,” receiving ₹10,000 upfront, a claim that sparked furious protests and accusations of systemic greed and negligence.
- This latest tragedy plunges District Hospital Poonch deeper into crisis, echoing the similar deaths of Asia Kousar and Anjum Nisa in June 2025, with public outrage mounting over the administration’s failure to publish inquiry reports from previous cases against doctors like Dr. Priyanka and Dr. Shehnaz.
- Despite the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” initiative, the blatant disregard for human life, alleged medical extortion, and a system where Operation Theatre students allegedly outnumber trained staff, demands immediate intervention from the Health Minister, Commissioner Secretary, and the Poonch administration; locals call for the suspension of implicated doctors until inquiry reports are submitted, fearing justice will again be denied.
HARPREET SINGH
Poonch, October 15, 2025: In a horrifying testament to what many describe as a fatally broken healthcare system, another young mother, 28-year-old Farzana Anjum, has tragically died shortly after childbirth at District Hospital Poonch. Her grieving family alleges a shocking confluence of medical negligence and brazen corruption, claiming that the attending Gynaecologist, Dr. Pallavi, demanded a ₹50,000 bribe for “proper medical care,” of which ₹10,000 was allegedly paid upfront. This latest tragedy, echoing a shameful cycle of preventable deaths, has reignited a firestorm of outrage, raising agonizing questions about why the Poonch administration, the hospital leadership, the Commissioner Secretary Health, and the Health Minister continue to turn a blind eye to a crisis that is costing innocent lives.
Farzana Anjum, wife of Abdul Qayoom and a resident of Bhagyaldara, Poonch, presented for childbirth, hoping for a safe delivery. Instead, her husband’s anguish painted a grim picture: “We begged them to save her life, but they were more concerned about money. We gave ₹10,000 and were arranging the rest when she took her last breath before our eyes.” The family further alleges that despite Farzana experiencing severe complications post-delivery and their repeated appeals for help, Dr. Pallavi and the hospital staff delayed crucial treatment. By the time medical attention was finally provided, they claim, it was tragically too late, and Farzana succumbed to excessive bleeding inside the maternity ward.
News of Farzana’s death sent shockwaves through the hospital. Hundreds of distraught locals quickly gathered outside the maternity ward, chanting slogans against the hospital administration and demanding immediate justice. The situation turned tense as protesters vehemently accused authorities of deliberately shielding negligent officials and doctors, allowing a culture of impunity to fester. SHO Poonch, Sachinder Pal, along with Tehsildar Poonch, Azhar Majeed, rushed to the spot, managing to pacify the heated protest after several hours with assurances of a fair and transparent inquiry and promises of strict legal action against those found guilty. Only then did the family agree to take Farzana Anjum’s body home for last rites.
This fresh tragedy plunges District Hospital Poonch deeper into an abyss of public distrust. It tragically mirrors similar incidents that have haunted the institution, including the deaths of Asia Kousar and Anjum Nisa in June 2025, both of whom perished under strikingly similar circumstances. This pattern is not just a series of isolated mistakes; community members describe it as a deep-rooted culture of apathy, greed, and a shocking lack of accountability. Despite multiple internal probes announced in previous cases, not only have there been no visible reforms or disciplinary actions, but critically, the inquiry reports concerning previous allegations against Dr. Priyanka and Dr. Shehnaz have still not been made public, despite repeated demands.
The silence from the higher echelons of power is deafening and inexcusable. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” initiative champions the protection and education of daughters, the grim reality in Poonch exposes a blatant disregard for their very lives. Public sentiment is now boiling over, with serious questions being directed at the Health Minister and the Commissioner Secretary Health for their apparent indifference. Locals allege that Operation Theatres are often staffed with more students than qualified personnel, indicating a systemic compromise of patient safety. There are vociferous demands from civil society and rights groups for an immediate independent high-level judicial probe, the suspension of the accused Dr. Pallavi and other implicated staff, and a broader investigation into what many openly describe as a “medical mafia” nexus operating within the institution. Many now assert that the implicated doctors must be suspended by the District Administration until inquiry reports are submitted, lest the situation further spirals out of control.
The overarching question now haunting Poonch is agonizing: Will Farzana Anjum’s death, like those before her, be confined to administrative files and conveniently forgotten? Or will this latest, most egregious incident finally become the turning point—a catalyst for genuine justice and sweeping reform—that the suffering public desperately awaits? The collective conscience of the administration, from the District Magistrate to the highest levels of the Health Department, faces a profound moral reckoning.
