BADIN: An undertrial doctor died under mysterious circumstances on Wednesday at the Hyderabad Civil Hospital, where he had been sent for treatment from the Badin district jail earlier in the day.

Dr Tariq Ghouri, a medical officer at the Badin Civil Hospital, was arrested some six months ago in a case pertaining to the alleged rape of a teenage girl.

On Wednesday, Badin district health officer Dr Aijaz Ahmed Ursani during his monthly visit to the jail found the UTP in a precarious condition. He asked the jail administration to rush Dr Ghouri to the Badin Civil Hospital.

Civil Surgeon Dr Abdul Khalique Khatti examined the UTP, who was handcuffed, and immediately referred him to the Hyderabad Civil Hospital, where he died during treatment.

Jail Superintendent Raja Mumtaz Ahmed claimed that the UTP suffered a cardiac stroke when he was brought back to the jail from a court after the hearing of his case.

Dr Abdul Abid Memon, the doctor posted at the Badin jail, said that a couple of weeks back, Dr Ghouri was examined by a consultant, Dr Niaz Ahmed Junejo, and strongly recommended that the UTP be admitted to a major hospital for medical examination, diagnosis and treatment as his condition seemed to be very serious.

The jail chief said that the UTP could not be sent to a hospital due to some legal hitches.

Civil surgeon Dr Khatti wondered why Dr Ghouri was still handcuffed when he was brought to him on Wednesday in such a precarious condition.

Pakistan Medical Association Badin president Dr Mohammad Hassan Memon has meanwhile strongly condemned the jail administration for their callous attitude and called for an inquiry leading to the undertrial doctor’s death.

Published in Dawn, July 24th , 2014