Another woman has died following childbirth in Kota, Rajasthan, taking the number of maternal deaths reported in the district to four in just 15 days. The latest victim, 28-year-old Pushpa Bairwa, succumbed to complications arising from severe postpartum haemorrhage, which led to Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) and respiratory failure.

Despite intensive treatment and the efforts of doctors from multiple departments, she could not be saved. The successive deaths have raised serious concerns about maternal healthcare and the management of childbirth-related complications in the region.

Pushpa Bairwa, a resident of Baran district, died on Monday night while undergoing treatment at the Super Speciality Hospital of Kota Medical College.

She had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Nephrology Department and was on ventilator support.

According to medical details, her condition deteriorated after she developed uncontrolled bleeding following childbirth. Investigations revealed that she had developed Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC), a serious condition that disrupts the body’s blood-clotting mechanism and can cause life-threatening bleeding.

The complications severely affected her kidneys and lungs, eventually leading to respiratory failure. This was the fourth maternal death reported in Kota within 15 days. Pushpa was experiencing motherhood for the first time.

She had been admitted to a hospital in Jhalawar, where she delivered a healthy baby girl through a normal delivery on October 27. However, barely an hour after childbirth, she began experiencing severe and uncontrollable bleeding. Doctors attempted to control the haemorrhage and administered five to six units of blood, but the bleeding could not be brought under control.

As her condition continued to worsen, she was referred to a hospital in Kota for advanced treatment. Dr Vikas Khandelia, Head of the Nephrology Department at the Super Speciality Hospital, explained that Pushpa had developed DIC, a condition that severely disrupts the body’s normal blood-clotting process. Continuous blood loss caused her blood pressure to drop, affecting the functioning of her kidneys and lungs.

Her platelet count and haemoglobin levels also fell significantly. Following dialysis and other medical interventions, her kidney function showed some improvement, with urine output reaching approximately three litres per day.

However, her lung condition continued to deteriorate. She developed severe respiratory distress and could not be taken off ventilator support. Specialists from several departments, including Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Anaesthesia, Pulmonology and Gynaecology, were involved in her treatment.

Despite their combined efforts, she could not be saved. Pushpa’s death is the latest in a series of maternal deaths reported in Kota over the past fortnight.

The deceased women include Shabnam Bano (26), a resident of Chhabra in Baran district, who died at JK Lon Hospital on October 25. She had delivered a baby girl through a Caesarean section on October 23.

On October 17, Roshan Bairwa died following excessive bleeding after a Caesarean section. On October 16, Reshma (40) died due to kidney failure following a Caesarean section.

The four deaths within such a short period have raised questions about the management of childbirth-related complications and the availability of timely emergency medical intervention. Kota witnessed another alarming series of childbirth-related complications in May.

Between May 5 and May 7, several women developed serious health complications following Caesarean deliveries. A total of 12 women reportedly suffered kidney failure. Five of these women died, while the remaining patients recovered following treatment and were discharged from the hospital.

The repeated maternal deaths have raised serious questions about the effectiveness of emergency obstetric care, timely referrals, access to blood transfusions and the management of life-threatening complications following delivery.

Postpartum haemorrhage is a medical emergency that requires immediate intervention. If bleeding cannot be controlled promptly, it can lead to severe blood loss, organ damage and potentially fatal complications such as DIC.

Although the precise circumstances surrounding each death need to be established through medical investigations, the recurrence of such cases highlights the need to examine emergency response systems, early diagnosis, referral arrangements and the availability of specialised care.

The most pressing question remains: Why are so many women losing their lives after childbirth in Kota, and what measures are being taken to prevent further maternal deaths?

A 32-year-old driver was shot dead inside his rented house by two unidentified assailants in Simri village under the Bihta police station area of Patna district late Tuesday night, police said on Wednesday.

The deceased has been identified as Irfan Imam, alias Kallu Driver. He had been living in a rented house in Simri village with his wife, Neha Parveen, and their two sons for the past two years.

According to information, the incident took place around 11.30 p.m. on Tuesday.

The two assailants allegedly arrived at the house and got the door open. As soon as Irfan opened it, they shot him in the head and fled with his mobile phone.

Hearing the gunshot, neighbours rushed to the house but found Irfan dead.

At the time of the incident, his elder son was reportedly sleeping beside him, while his wife and younger son had gone to visit her maternal relatives nearby.

The motive behind the murder remains unclear. However, reports suggest that an ongoing family dispute had prompted Irfan to live separately from his wife and children in a rented accommodation.

His wife told police that around a month ago, while the couple was returning from Ara on a motorcycle, unidentified persons had fired shots in the air near Maudahi village in Bihta. They escaped unharmed in that incident.

After receiving information about the murder, a police team reached the spot and launched an investigation. A spent bullet casing was recovered from the scene.

Bihta Station House Officer Amit Kumar said villagers informed the police around 11.30 p.m. that a man had been shot dead in Simri village.

“The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the head, which proved fatal. A spent bullet casing has been recovered from the spot. The motive behind the incident is not yet clear. The deceased’s wife and other family members are being questioned,” the SHO said.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the murder and searching for the assailants.

Delhi Police apprehended five people for gambling at a premises in the Welcome area of northeast Delhi and recovered Rs 56,140 in cash and playing cards from their possession, officials said on Wednesday.

According to the police, the action was taken at around 4 a.m. on November 10 following a tip-off about gambling activities at a premises in the Welcome area. Acting on the information, a dedicated team led by Inspector Rupesh Kumar Khatri, Station House Officer (SHO) of Welcome Police Station, conducted a raid at the location.

The team comprised Inspector Gianender Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Rambir, Head Constable Arun, and Constables Vinod and Aman.

During the raid, five people were found gambling. The police apprehended them and recovered Rs 56,140 in cash along with playing cards from the spot.

A case was subsequently registered at Welcome Police Station vide FIR No. 663/2026, dated November 10, under Sections 12/09/55 of the Delhi Gambling Act. During verification, two of the apprehended accused were found to have previous involvement in similar gambling cases, police said.

The accused have been identified as Jamil (39), son of Shaida; Sumit Kumar alias Khare (30), son of Mukesh Kumar; Sagar (28), son of Sule Singh; Nitin (30), son of Ram Kumar; and Pawan Kumar (40), son of Ramesh Kumar. All five are residents of the Welcome area in Delhi.

While Jamil, Sagar and Pawan Kumar have no previous criminal involvement, Sumit Kumar and Nitin were found to have been involved in one similar case each, according to the police.

The recovered cash and playing cards have been seized as part of the investigation. Further investigation into the case is underway.

In a separate operation on November 10, Delhi Police’s South District Special Staff busted an alleged illegal gambling den in JJ Colony, Khanpur, and apprehended five people, including the alleged organiser, Rajesh alias Banti (42). The police recovered Rs 1,51,140 in stake money and 104 playing cards. A case was registered at Neb Sarai Police Station under the Delhi Public Gambling Act.

Earlier on November 10, the Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of South District Police had busted another alleged gambling operation in the Sangam Vihar area and apprehended 12 people. The police recovered Rs 1,03,500 in cash and 458 playing cards of different colours during the raid.

According to the police, the raid was conducted at a premises on Asthal Mandir Road following a tip-off about gambling activities.

The 12 accused included Manoj (38), Rajender alias Rinku (38), Hardesh Kumar (44), Kamlesh Gupta (55), Ramkesh (72), Santosh Kumar Gupta (50), Amit Gupta (31), Madhav Mangal (36), Vijay (43), Rajkumar (59), Rahul Rathore (31) and Jitender Singh (38), who hail from different localities in Delhi.