Initial investigation by the police suggests that the baby was born prematurely, a detail the doctor was reportedly unaware of.
Published Jul 07, 2025 | 5:09 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 07, 2025 | 5:09 PM
Two-month-old infant dead.
Synopsis: A two-month-old infant, Emin Adam, died in Kozhikode after receiving local anaesthesia for circumcision at a clinic without paediatric support. The baby showed discomfort post-anaesthesia and died en route to a hospital. Preliminary police investigation suggests the child was born prematurely, a fact the doctor was unaware of, possibly leading to complications. A case has been filed under Section 194 (Unnatural death).
A two-month-old infant, Emin Adam, from Kakkur in Kozhikode, died on Sunday, 6 July, after being administered local anaesthesia for a circumcision procedure at a Cooperative Clinic.
Following a complaint by the child’s family, Kakkur police filed a case under Section 194 (Unnatural death) of the BNSS. The cause of death will be confirmed after a post-mortem at Kozhikode MCH.
As per the FIR, the baby was brought to the clinic around 10 am. Soon after local anaesthesia was given, the child showed signs of discomfort and was referred to a private hospital by the surgeon, as there was no paediatrician on-site.
The infant was declared dead at 12.10 pm while being taken to the hospital. Initial investigation by the police suggests that the baby was born prematurely, a detail the doctor was reportedly unaware of.
“Preliminary inquiry reveals the child was delivered at eight months, which may have affected the immune response. The parents did not inform the doctor about the premature birth. Administering anaesthesia without this information might have triggered the complications that led to the death,” a police official said to South First.
Dr Arjun, a Thiruvananthapuram based anaesthesiologist, speaking with South First said, ”It is said the baby was premature, and that’s an important aspect to consider. Full-term deliveries usually happen at 40 weeks. Babies born before 32 weeks are considered premature, and that factor must be taken into account while calculating maturity. Even if the baby was two months old, we need to understand how premature the child was.”
He added that anaesthesia is a risky procedure, particularly in premature infants.
”We don’t yet know where the surgical procedure was performed. Normally, such procedures are done by a team of trained experts. Circumcision is a common procedure, but we don’t know the level of expertise of the doctor who performed this one,” the doctor further explained.
According to Dr Arjun, certain protocols must be followed when administering anaesthesia to children.
”There should always be an emergency backup plan in place, a team of experts, a paediatric ICU, and readiness for worst-case scenarios. Anaesthesiologists usually don’t take chances and ensure the family is informed after thoroughly analysing the child’s medical history,” he explained.
”In this case, we’ll have to wait for the post-mortem report to understand if any drug caused a reaction or whether there were any genetic issues,” he added.
When South first contacted Dr Saleem, a senior paediatrician from Malappuram, he explained that local anaesthesia is usually administered during circumcision in children, and medical teams must always be prepared with oxygen and emergency support.
”Circumcision is generally a minor and routine procedure. However, if anaesthesia accidentally enters into an artery, it can become risky,” he said.
Dr Saleem added that he usually advises parents to wait until the child is at least five years old for the procedure.
”But nowadays, many parents prefer to do it earlier, thinking that younger children won’t feel pain or fear. There is no universally preferred age—circumcisions are done immediately after birth in many Gulf countries,” he added.
”In my experience, I haven’t come across any serious complications related to circumcision,” the doctor claimed.
In 2023, the Non-Religious Citizen (NRC) movement, a freethought organization, filed a PIL seeking a ban on child circumcision. The group argued that the practice of Sunnath (circumcision) is both unscientific and unlawful. However, the Kerala High Court dismissed the plea.
Following the court’s decision, another science-based group, Hello Sapiens, lodged a complaint with the Child Rights Commission, continuing the demand for legal scrutiny of the practice.
However, the commission is yet to make a final decision.
Before this, a similar incident in Idukki had sparked state-wide discussions. In January 2024, two individuals from Kanjar were arrested after a newborn died from excessive bleeding following a circumcision. Police initially treated it as an unnatural death, with no complaint from the family.
However, after a detailed post-mortem and inquiry, arrests were made. The key concern in this case was that the procedure was done by a hospital staffer, not a qualified doctor.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
