Srinagar’s Paras Hospital Under Fire Again After Alleged Negligence Claims Another Life

Srinagar: Another patient has lost his life due to alleged medical negligence at Paras Hospital in Srinagar, sparking fresh outrage and protests from grieving family members.

The latest incident involves 34-year-old Waseem Ahmed Pathan, a resident of Bilal Colony, Pampore, who died early Friday morning after being admitted to the hospital for an intestinal infection. His family claims he died due to the negligence of doctors overseeing his treatment.

Waseem had undergone surgery a few days ago and was discharged, but he complained of pain the following day and had to be readmitted. “Doctors had injured his intestine during the first surgery, which led to complications requiring another operation,” his brother said. “This is not just negligence—this is murder.”

The family, supported by local residents, staged a protest outside the hospital, demanding action against the doctor and the hospital administration. “We paid Rs 2.5 lakh for his treatment, but they failed to provide basic care,” one family member said. They also appealed for intervention from the administration and the health department.

This is the yet another major incident in less than a year at Paras Hospital to spark allegations of gross negligence. In July, last year the family of 46-year-old Gulzar Ahmad Sheikh from Dalgate accused the hospital of mishandling his heart surgery. Despite being told the bypass procedure had a 98% success rate, the patient died after a follow-up procedure that cost the family an additional Rs 3 lakh. The family claims they were not informed of the full risks and allege they were misled and overcharged.

In response, hospital authorities cited the patient’s critical condition and insisted all procedures were done with consent and communication. The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Srinagar had since requested GMC Srinagar to depute a cardiologist for an independent inquiry.

Adding to the growing concerns, a third case had also surfaced from Tengpora last year, where the family of cancer patient Abdul Hai Khan alleged severe negligence and overcharging. “Despite his critical condition, he was not kept in the ICU, and basic care was ignored,” the family said, accusing the hospital of prioritizing payments over patient welfare.

Paras Hospital, which began operations with promises of international-standard care, has faced public criticism since its establishment. Allegations have ranged from land acquisition controversies to medical negligence and patient extortion.

Locals and civil society members are now calling for a comprehensive investigation into the hospital’s operations. “They are extorting money from the common people under the guise of providing world-class medical care,” said one protestor. “The government must act before more lives are lost.”