Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
Nearly two months after his nine-year-old died of what was said to be amoebic meningoencephalitis, Sunoop attacked a doctor at the Thamarassery Taluk Hospital in Kozhikode where he had taken his daughter for treatment. What reportedly triggered a distressed Sunoop was the uncertainty over the diagnosis of the child’s condition, leading to speculation that her life might have been saved if the doctors had acted promptly.
On October 8, after he swung a machete at the doctor, Sunoop proclaimed that he dedicated the attack to the Health Department of the state, Health Minister Veena George and the superintendent of the Taluk Hospital. Government doctors in the state observed a protest on Thursday, October 9, a day after the attack on the doctor.
Anaya, who died on August 14, was the middle child of Rambeesha and Sunoop, a daily wage worker. She had on August 13 come back from a dance rehearsal at school and complained of fever. The family took her to the nearby Thamarassery Taluk Hospital, where her condition appeared to worsen and she was referred to the Kozhikode Medical College. But by the time the child reached the bigger hospital, she was dead, say sources.
Minister Veena George condemned the attack on the doctor and said that strong legal action would be ensured against it. While expressing sorrow over the death of Anaya, the Minister said that the child was brought to the Taluk Hospital with vomiting and fatigue and when her condition deteriorated, she was referred to the Kozhikode Medical College. The minister added that Anaya's brother was also treated at the Medical College after which he recovered. However she did not mention if the children were infected with amoebic encephalitis.
Initial tests had reportedly revealed the presence of amoeba in the body and the parents were told that she had died of amoebic meningoencephalitis, a fatal and rare infection brought on by free-living amoeba. However, nearly two months after her death the family has not received a formal report confirming the cause of death. A day before he attacked the doctor, Sunoop informed journalists that he had not received the report about the cause of death of his daughter. He and Rambeesha reportedly learnt from doctors at the Medical College that the child had not died of amoebic encephalitis and might have been saved had she been brought in earlier.
Rambeesha told the media that Sunoop had been depressed after their daughter’s death, not sleeping enough and wandering about the house at night, or else hugging their boys and crying. He was shattered to hear from doctors at the Kozhikode Medical College that their daughter’s life might have been saved if the Taluk Hospital had referred the case to them earlier.
Rambeesha said that they have not yet received a postmortem report but that doctors at the Kozhikode Medical College told them it was not an amoebic infection that caused Anaya’s death. "A doctor suggested that if her case was referred to the Medical College earlier, our child's life might have been saved. My husband who had already been depressed for days was really shattered by the news. I do not agree with his method of reacting towards the news. We should have proceeded legally, and this is what I hope to do, once I get the postmortem report. This is a fall of the health department," Rambeesha said.
Kerala has been reporting an unusual number of amoebic infections since May 2024, known to affect children more than adults. However, concerns had dwindled last year after a number of people recovered from the disease and the mortality rate was reduced to 25% (from the global average of 90%).
Media reports of Anaya’s death in August 2025 raised fresh concerns. Every new case was once again reported but once again, the mortality rate stayed at 25%, with rampant testing and early treatment. However, the confusion over Anaya’s cause of death has put the health department on the defensive.