Pregnant Pune woman dies after ‘treatment denied’, CM orders inquiry

Demonstrations held over pregnant woman's death due to hospital negligence, sparking political outrage and demands for justice.

Social activists and political party workers held demonstrations on Friday (April 4, 2025) over the death of a woman named Tanisha Bhise, who was suffering pregnancy complications.

She died after the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune, Maharashtra, allegedly refused her treatment. Pune Police have sent statements and documents to the District Medical Council, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a high-level inquiry. Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital also released an internal inquiry report, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding Bhise’s demise.

On March 31, Tanisha seven-months pregnant with twins and wife of the personal secretary of a BJP MLC, Amit Gorkhe, died after the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, a charitable trust hospital, allegedly refused emergency treatment, demanding ₹20 lakh per baby for admission.

According to her family, Dr. Sushrut Ghaisas asked her to deposit ₹5 lakh before admission. The family agreed to deposit ₹3 lakh and pay the rest in instalments but was denied admission and asked to shift to Sassoon government hospital. She was rushed to hospital on March 28 after complaining of bleeding. After delivering two baby girls at Surya Hospital in Wakad, she was shifted to Manipal Hospital in Baner, where she succumbed to multi-organ failure.

BJP workers vandalised Dr. Ghaisas’s office, Shiv Sena workers held a tirdi (bier) protest at the hospital, and Congress party workers threw ink on the name board of the hospital, condemning the hospital’s negligence. The demonstrators demanded that the doctors and hospital be charged with culpable homicide.

Social activist and editor of a Marathi web portal, Deepak Jadhav, said, “The pregnant lady was kept waiting for four to five hours when she required immediate treatment, which is a violation of the Maharashtra Nursing Act and Medical Council of India regulations that prohibit advance payments. We demand that a case be filed against the doctor and hospital for negligence and homicide.”

Tanisha’s family informed police about the incident on April 3. Pune City Deputy Commissioner of Police Sambhaji Kadam, speaking to The Hindu, said, “We have submitted statements to the Medical Board and are waiting for reports to file the case.”