Saba Rasool, a fourth-year medical student from Safakadal, Srinagar, pursuing her MBBS at Urmia University of Medical Sciences in Iran, passed away due to health complications.
Family sources said that Saba had complained of pain two days ago, and was admitted to a hospital there.
They said that after battling for her life, she passed away last night at around 3:00 am.
The family has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, for the urgent repatriation of her body to Kashmir for the last rites.
Relatives and neighbors in Srinagar have expressed deep grief over Saba’s untimely demise, urging authorities to expedite the repatriation process so she can be laid to rest in her hometown according to local customs.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has written to Union External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, seeking his urgent humanitarian intervention for the swift repatriation of the mortal remains of Saba Rasool, a 27-year-old MBBS student from Safakadal, Srinagar.
The Association has also urged the Ministry to take up the matter with Iranian authorities to initiate a thorough probe into allegations of gross medical negligence.
In a letter to Dr. Jaishankar, the Association’s National Convenor, Nasir Khuehami, said that Saba, a fourth-year MBBS student at Urmia University of Medical Sciences, passed away following a sudden deterioration in her health, leaving her family, friends, and community in deep shock. “Her friends and batchmates, who were present during her illness and at the hospital, have alleged that her death may have been the result of gross medical negligence,” the letter stated.
According to her friends, Saba had been experiencing nausea and vomiting for several days. They claimed it took three hours for a regular ambulance to arrive, and upon reaching the hospital, she was allegedly made to wait for two hours before being allotted a bed in the Emergency Ward (Urjanas). “Despite her critical condition, she was reportedly kept only on normal saline for two days and given painkillers only when she complained of pain. Friends allege that her vitals were not checked for an entire day and there was no regular monitoring,” the letter read.
The Association said that after repeated requests to transfer her to the GI Ward, she was moved from the Emergency Ward to a corridor outside the GI Ward. Later, she was shifted to the International Patient Department (IPD), where her condition reportedly worsened. “Friends say she developed seizures, her vitals became unstable, and she experienced tachycardia. She was then moved to the ICU. On the final day, she stopped speaking and kept her eyes closed,” it added.
Quoting one of her friends, the Association said, “Till the time she was stable, we were provided with all her reports. However, after her condition worsened, no medical reports have been shared with us.”
Doctors cited the cause of death as fulminant hepatic failure (acute liver failure) along with pulmonary complications. However, her friends and fellow students alleged that until her death, doctors were unable to diagnose her exact illness.
The Association stressed that the family needs immediate assistance to bring the young student’s mortal remains back for the last rites at her ancestral home. It urged the External Affairs Minister to take up the matter with the concerned authorities in Iran to ensure a transparent investigation and, if negligence is confirmed, to press for strict action against the hospital.
“At the same time, the bereaved family’s immediate priority is to bring the mortal remains home and perform her last rites in accordance with cultural and religious traditions,” the statement added.
Calling it “a desperate plea from a devastated family seeking both justice and the opportunity to see their daughter one last time,” the Association’s Iran Unit Coordinator, Faizan Aishna, said that Dr. Jaishankar’s timely intervention “will not only bring solace to their shattered hearts but also reaffirm India’s commitment to the dignity and protection of its citizens abroad.”
He urged the External Affairs Minister to intervene urgently, liaise with Iranian authorities, and ensure that all humanitarian and administrative procedures are completed at the earliest, so that Saba Rasool’s family can receive her mortal remains without delay and accord her the dignified farewell she deserves. (Agencies)
