Kerala teen succumbs to extreme dieting after alleged body-shaming
Kannur (Kerala), Mar 11 (PTI): An 18-year-old girl in Kerala lost her life after following an unhealthy diet in an attempt to lose weight, allegedly after being body-shamed, doctors said.
The deceased, Sreenanda, a native of Koothuparamba in Kannur, passed away while undergoing treatment. She had been admitted to Thalassery Co-operative Hospital with severe health complications caused by the extreme diet.
She succumbed to her condition last Saturday while still under medical care.
Quoting her parents, doctors who treated the teenager at the Thalassery Co-operative Hospital said she had relied on YouTube for diet guidance after allegedly being body-shamed.
Her condition is suspected to be linked to anorexia nervosa, a severe eating disorder characterised by extreme food restriction, an intense fear of weight gain, and a distorted perception of body image, Dr Nagesh Manohar Prabhu, who treated her told PTI.
Sreenanda had drastically reduced her food intake as part of her weight-loss regimen.
Earlier, she had been taken to the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, after complaining of difficulty in drinking water. The doctors there reportedly advised her parents to consult a psychiatrist, as they recognised that this was a serious case of anorexia nervosa. However, there was no follow-up.
Eventually, when she struggled to eat, she was brought to the Thalassery Co-operative Hospital.
"When she was admitted, her blood pressure was 70, oxygen level 70-72, and blood sugar 45. Her sodium and potassium levels were also critically low," Dr Prabhu said.
She had lost significant muscle mass due to prolonged malnutrition from her weight-loss regimen, he added.
While reviewing her case history, doctors examined her old photographs. "She appeared to weigh around 50 kg in her earlier photos. However, by the time she was brought to our hospital, she weighed less than 25 kg," the doctor said.
She reached this critical stage within three months.
"Her parents said she had started her own weight-loss treatment six months ago. She gradually reduced her food intake and completely stopped eating three months ago. The parents sought medical help only after she stopped drinking water," he said.
"The parents did not realise it was a psychiatric condition. They assumed it was just the influence of YouTube," Dr Prabhu said. "It was a case of anorexia nervosa, which could have been treated if detected in the early stages."
He also mentioned that the teenager was not in a condition to speak, and all information was provided by her parents.
A district health official declined to comment on the matter, stating that they had not reviewed the case history.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
