The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an Action Taken Reports (ATRs) from the Odisha Government on a recent surgery, conducted by doctors on a minor boy, allegedly with the help of mobile phone flashlights in the absence of electricity at the operation theatre.

Identified as Milan Gaine (17), the victim later succumbed to injuries at a Government-run hospital. According to sources, the doctors performing the surgery had no option but to complete it with the help of mobile phone flashlights because of power disruption.

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According to Radhakanta Tripathy, a human rights activist and lawyer, the hospital had neither power backup facilities like inverter nor generator.

The petitioner demanded preventive action from the part of the Government to ensure uninterrupted power supply to all the hospitals in the State and demanded adequate compensation to the family members of the deceased.

The NHRC sought replies from the District Collector of Nabarangpur and Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare within 4 weeks.

Notably, the doctors in a sterilization camp at Baanrapala in Angul district, had used a bicycle pump to inflate the abdomen of 56 women while conducting laparoscopic tubectomy in the sterilization camp. The incident was reported on 28 November, 2014 much to the embarrassment of the State Government.

The petition also cited a similar incident in Ganjam district, where a baby was delivered at Polasara Community Health center under cellphone lights and candles due to an abrupt power cut.