The child's family alleges gross negligence, as the boy was rushed to the clinic for severe stomach pain but misdiagnosed with pneumonia without any diagnostic tests. This quack doctor negligence case has reignited calls for stricter regulation of rural healthcare providers.
The tragedy unfolded on Thursday when Labu Barela, the child's father, sought help for his son's abdominal discomfort. Advised by a relative, the family visited Himanshu Yadav's makeshift "mini hospital" in a small village shop.
Yadav, who abandoned his incomplete medical studies in Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine war, performed a cursory checkup. Claiming pneumonia, he administered a small saline drip followed by five potent injections via a larger bottle, promising a five-day treatment plan. Within minutes, the toddler's condition plummeted—gasping for breath and unresponsive.
Panic ensued as Yadav vanished from the clinic. His wife reportedly dismissed the family's pleas, urging them to leave and threatening police action for any disturbance.
A heated argument erupted between the grieving relatives and the doctor's family. Desperate, the Barelas rushed the boy home, but he succumbed shortly after. The devastated father later took the body to the district hospital, where a postmortem was conducted on Friday.
Labu Barela recounted the ordeal: "Our child had a simple stomach ache. This fake doctor poisoned him with wrong injections without even a stethoscope exam or X-ray."
Villagers echoed the fury, revealing Yadav's shady history. Operating since the COVID-19 lockdown without a license—despite his father Ganesh Yadav working as a dresser at a government dispensary—Himanshu has a prior fatal mishap.
Three years ago, he allegedly killed 20-year-old Pratibha Patidar with a botched injection during her PAT exam prep. That case ended in a hushed private settlement amid local protests.
Initial pleas for justice fell on deaf ears at a nearby police post, but a formal complaint at Piplod station prompted action. Police have registered a case under relevant sections for negligence causing death, with investigations underway. The postmortem report, expected soon, could expose the lethal cocktail of unverified drugs.
Health experts slammed the pneumonia diagnosis as reckless. "Stomach pain isn't pneumonia; confirmation demands X-rays and auscultation, not guesswork," said a senior pulmonologist. Pandhana Block Medical Officer Omprakash Tantwar admitted Yadav's operation was unregistered, noting, "Many quacks plague rural areas. We're cracking down systematically, but district-level oversight is key."
This Khandwa child death underscores the perils of quack doctors in underserved villages, where desperation drives families to unqualified hands. As Madhya Pradesh grapples with healthcare gaps, advocates demand swift license verifications and harsher penalties. The Barela family vows no closure until justice prevails, turning personal loss into a rallying cry against medical malpractice.
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