Woman pops pills to abort fetus, dies in Chennai

CHENNAI: A woman, who was eight months pregnant, died in a government hospital in the city after she consumed pills for aborting her fetus. She was also under treatment for a fall she sustained in her bathroom, police said.

The deceased, identified as Kumari Kanjaka, 23, a native of Odisha, was residing at a rented house in Thanthai Periyar Nagar in Korattur with her husband Pratap Ulaka and niece Geetha Kanjaka. Police said Kumari and Geetha traveled to their hometown in Odisha where one of her relatives died during labour on September 14.

After returning to Chennai on September 20, Kumari slipped in her bathroom and suffered injuries. Her husband Pratap admitted her to a private hospital. She was treated for the injuries and sent home. On September 25, when she complained of severe stomach pain she was referred to the Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital. A senior doctor said, “She was critical when she came here. Tests showed perforations and infections in her womb,” adding, “We told the family that the uterus has to be removed.”

“We attempted a hysterectomy but she did not recover from the surgery. We lost her within six hours of admission,” the doctor added. Her body has been sent for an autopsy.

Doctors said Kumari’s family members told them she that had taken medication to abort her fetus. “Taking medications to abort the fetus that too in the seventh month can be extremely risky. The uterus may have been fragile after the fall. Irrational medications could have punctured it. We will have to wait for a detailed autopsy to ascertain the cause of death,” a doctor said.

Geetha Kanjaka, in her complaint to the Korattur police, said that her aunt took some medication to abort the child fearing complications during pregnancy. The police have registered a case of unnatural death under Section 174 (III) (suspicious death) of CrPC. The investigation officer said that they are probing to ascertain the cause of death.