Raifunissa Sheikh (26), a Mulund resident and a mother of three, was admitted to the hospital's Gynaecological Ward on August 12 as she had opted to abort her one-and-a-half month old foetus and undergo tubal ligation for family planning, police sources say.

After the abortion the next morning, her uterus was also allegedly perforated and a major ligament torn during post-operative cleansing. This resulted in a haemorrhage that could only be controlled by an immediate hysterectomy, hospital sources say.

During the hysterectomy, Shaikh began gasping for breath and her condition began to deteriorate rapidly. While inserting a laryngoscope through her mouth to facilitate breathing, herwindpipe was torn resulting in instantaneous death. This condition, called `surgical emphysema', and indicates a serious lapse by the operating team, according to a senior doctor.

The autopsy revealed perforation of the windpipe, stated the cause of death as ``massive surgical emphysema due to rupture of trachea in a case of MTP with tubal ligation''. The cause of death and the post-mortem findings have been communicated to the Mulund police, who have decided to register a case of negligence against the medical team.

Senior Inspector, Mulund police station, Vasant Jadhav, told Express Newsline that the decision was taken as the matter is critical as investigations and expert opinion point to medical negligence, he adds.

However, superintendent of Mulund General Hospital, Dr V Y Sambhare, says the incident was only a ``surgical accident'' and that doctors had taken the necessary care. About the possible police case, she said she is ``not bothered'' by it. However, she refused to discuss details of themedical case and insisted that no action will be taken against the doctors.