'Was A 15-Minute Procedure': 4-Year-Old Dies After 'Minor' Surgery, Family Alleges Negligence

Last Updated:May 31, 2025, 19:06 IST

The family said that the child was admitted to SK Jain Hospital in Delhi for a minor operation

Representative image of Delhi Police | PTI

A four-year-old boy died after a “minor" surgery at a hospital in East Delhi’s Pandav Nagar on Thursday, with officials confirming that his family has alleged medical negligence.

According to the family, Viraj Sharma was admitted to SK Jain Hospital for a minor operation. However, within an hour of being hospitalised, he was declared dead.

“He would have gone to Class 1 next year. They (doctors) told us it was just a 15-minute procedure," Viraj’s father, Gaurav Sharma was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

The family added that on May 22, doctors had advised some tests to assess whether Viraj was fit to undergo the procedure.

According to the boy’s father, the test results came back normal, and the doctors gave the go-ahead for the operation.

“On May 28, the doctor told me to bring my son the next morning. On Thursday, around 8 am, I took my son to the hospital. At 8:40 am, they took him to the Operation Theater and told me that it would be done in 15 minutes," said Gaurav, a graphic designer employed at a Noida-based software company.

Gaurav said he waited outside the operation theatre until 9:15 am before receiving any information.

“The doctors said they had given him an injection before the operation, which has caused some reactions. They said he was breathing heavily and that his condition is critical," he recalled.

He was then taken into the OT, where, according to him, doctors were using electrical pumps on his son’s chest. Shortly after, he was informed that Viraj needed to be transferred to another hospital.

“My son’s nose was bleeding, his nails were blue, and his body was cold. He was not moving at all. Still, I took him to Makar Hospital with one last hope," he said.

At Makar Hospital, doctors conducted an initial examination and declared the child dead. A police complaint has been lodged at the Pandav Nagar police station, and Sharma has also submitted a written complaint to the DCP East District office.

Police confirmed that a post-mortem was conducted on Friday, and the findings are awaited to determine whether medical negligence was involved.

“We have constituted a medical board and the inquiry will start as soon as the post-mortem results are in," said DCP (East) Abhishek Dhania.

Location :

Delhi, India, India

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News india 'Was A 15-Minute Procedure': 4-Year-Old Dies After ‘Minor’ Surgery, Family Alleges Negligence