Bengaluru corporator V Elumalai dies 26 days after alleged botched surgery

In an alleged case of medical negligence, 40-year-old  V Elumalai, an independent corporator of Sagayapuram ward in Bengaluru, died due to multiorgan failure in the wee hours of Thursday. He had developed complications after a surgery that allegedly went wrong at a private hospital in mid-November. Elumalai had wanted a small cyst removed from his nose and was admitted to Santosh Hospital in Frazer Town on November 12. Later, after he had suffered a heart attack post-surgery due to an alleged overdose of anaesthetics, he was admitted to Vikram Hospitals but he remained in a comatose state for half a month until Thursday.

Elumalai was the chairman of the Standing Committee for Social Justice and was hospitalised for 26 days. His funeral is to be held later on Thursday at KG Halli. He is survived by his wife and three children. On account of his death, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has declared a holiday and cancelled all official works.

Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister G Parameshwara expressed his grief over the untimely demise of Elumalai. He tweeted, “Saddened by the tragic and untimely demise of Shri V Elumalai, the Corporator of Sagayapuram. He was an able leader and an invaluable asset to the people of Sagayapuram. My deepest condolences to the grieving family.”

Saddened by the tragic and untimely demise of Shri V Elumalai, the Corporator of Sagayapuram. He was was an able leader and an invaluable asset to the people of Sagayapuram
My deepest condolences to the grieving family. #Elumalai pic.twitter.com/PVWVCPTjcV

— Dr. G Parameshwara (@DrParameshwara) December 6, 2018

The botched surgery had triggered heated debates in the BBMP council meetings about medical negligence cases. Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun had said the BBMP will approach the Health Department and the Karnataka Medical Council to ask for a detailed probe into the matter and take coercive action.