Bhadrak: Tension prevailed after a grieving family along with locals staged a road blockage, burning tyres in front of a private diagnostic centre over a flawed report leading to alleged fetal death in the mother's womb in Odisha's Bhadrak district today. The mother, who is critical, is undergoing treatment at the district headquarters hospital (DHH). 

Accusing the ultrasound clinic of a faulty report leading to death of the fetus in the mother's womb, the victim family sat on a dharna with the body of the stillborn baby on Bhadrak bypass road to Chandbali and demanded justice. 

As per reports, Prafulla Giri, a resident of Radhanga village in Dolasahi panchayat of Tihidi block, had taken his six-month pregnant wife for a regular ultrasound screening at Om Shanti diagnostic centre on May 25. The report had stated that the condition of the fetus was healthy. Giri had then consulted a gynaecolgist in a private nursing home who reviewed the scan and discharged them. 

The following day, Giri's wife suddenly complained of labor pain. When her condition got worse, he took her to their doctor who immediately asked them to shift her to the DHH. However, to the family's horror, the attending doctor at the hospital told them that the baby had died in the womb of the mother since four days and even started showing signs of mummification due to which they would have to carry out an abortion procedure. 

Devasted at the news of stillbirth, Giri and his family members questioned the stark discrepancy in the doctor's statement and the ultrasound report which had ruled out any abnormality, alleging medical negligence. 

They took to the streets with the body of the stillborn baby and burnt tyres in front of the ultrasound centre. 

"My wife's ultrasound report stated that all was well and the baby was stable and healthy. I even got a clearance from Dr Khyama Padhee who checked the scan and sent us back home. Two days later, her condition suddenly deteriorates and on hospitalisation, the doctor said the baby had died in the womb since four days. How is it possible? I demnad justice and compensation for such sheer negligence," Giri demanded. 

Another local corrobated the incident. "The affected family used to get regular screenings at the ultrasound centre. The last scan, which was on May 25, showed everything to be normal. However, the mother suddenly complained of pain yesterday and on being hospitalised, the doctor at the DHh said the baby had already died in the womb and an abortion has to be carried out to take out the fetus," he said.

Meanwhile, sources said the accused staff at the diagnostic centre are absconding after the incident.

Bhadrak town police, on getting information, reached the spot and tried to bring the situation under control. "We have formed a technical team including a radiologist to verify the veracity of the medical reports. Since the fetus was only six-months old, a postmortem cannot be carried out. But we will probe the exact cause of death," informed Bhadrak DSP Sambit Majhi.