KARACHI: A young woman, whose family had alleged that she was drugged, raped and poisoned to death at a government hospital in Korangi on April 18, died of a life-threatening allergic reaction, officials said on Wednesday.

Based on the report of a chemical examiner, they also ruled out the possibility of sexual assault.

The woman, a resident of Ibrahim Hyderi, had gone for treatment of gums infection at the Sindh Government Hospital, Korangi, where she died of alleged medical negligence on April 18.

Later, her family alleged that she was raped and murdered at the hospital. They nominated a doctor and paramedical staff in the case. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had also ordered a probe into the woman’s death.

On Wednesday, DIG East Amir Farooqi told Dawn that investigators received autopsy and chemical examiner’s reports which said the apparent cause of death was “anaphylaxis”.

The report of a chemical examiner says she was not sexually assaulted

The doctors described anaphylaxis as a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction and the most common anaphylactic reactions are said to be from food, insect stings and medication.

He said that the report also ruled out any sexual assault. “Further confirmation of this will be done through a DNA [test] whose report is still awaited,” he said, referring to the DNA samples of the three paramedics and two doctors that had been sent to a forensic lab in Jamshoro.

The young woman’s death at the hospital had triggered protests by residents of Ibrahim Hyderi and women’s rights groups who along with the family had also held a press conference at the Karachi Press Club. They said that the hospital staff had told them that she had died due to a reaction by an antibiotic injection, but later they came to know about the rape and that she was murdered.

The CM had also taken notice of her death and ordered a forensic audit of the hospitals to ascertain the expertise all paramedical staff.

Police authorities transferred the investigation of the case from the Awami Colony police in Korangi district to the Ibrahim Hyderi police in Malir district.

A doctor nominated in the case got protective bail and joined the probe as per directions of a court.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2019