Severe blood shortage in Dakshina Kannada district blood banks
For the first time, blood collection at Wenlock Hospital drops to double digits
Mangaluru: Hospitals in Dakshina Kannada district are facing a severe shortage of blood in their blood banks, creating a challenging situation for both patients and healthcare providers.
Over the past 15 days, the shortage has worsened, making it difficult for patients in need of regular dialysis or those suffering from heavy blood loss due to accidents to get timely treatment. Relatives of patients have reportedly been struggling to arrange for blood.
The summer holidays in schools and colleges, coupled with ongoing exams, have led to a sharp decline in voluntary blood donations, particularly from students. As a result, blood donation camps are currently not being organized, further aggravating the crisis.
In response, blood banks across the district have begun awareness campaigns to address the shortfall. Wenlock District Hospital, which usually maintains higher reserves than other facilities, is also experiencing a drop in blood collection for the first time.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, while donation drives were reduced, Wenlock Hospital managed to avoid a crisis. However, officials now confirm that this is the first time such a severe shortage has hit the facility.
There are 13 blood banks in the district, and all are currently facing shortages. Some banks follow a return policy, where recipients must replenish the blood they receive. At the Red Cross blood bank, blood is available upon payment of a fixed fee, and even there, the shortage is now apparent.
Wenlock Hospital, which typically collects around 300 units of blood, has seen its reserves fall drastically to just 90 units, the first time it has dropped to double digits.
Noticing the crisis, blood donor Siddique from Manjeshwar and his team stepped in to support the cause. On Sunday, they provided 20 units of blood to Wenlock Hospital’s blood bank, confirmed Dr. Sharath Kumar, the hospital’s blood bank officer.
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Delhi HC asks Jaideep Sengar to surrender in Unnao custodial death case
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Friday asked Jaideep Sengar, brother of Unnao rape case convict Kuldeep Sengar, to surrender before jail authorities in connection with his conviction in the custodial death case of the survivor's father.
A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja was hearing a plea by the convict for further extension of interim bail upon suspension of the 10-year sentence.
It observed that the interim bail granted to Jaideep Sengar in July 2024 was last extended in April 2025 and since then, in spite of five dates, no order of any further extension or suspension of his sentence has been passed by the court.
As the senior counsel for Jaideep Sengar urged the bench to extend the period of his release on account of his health, the bench said, "You surrender and then we will see."
"Although there is no extension of interim suspension of sentence granted, we find he has still not surrendered. Before we proceed to consider his application for further extension of suspension of sentence, we require the appellant to first surrender," the bench ordered.
The senior counsel for Jaideep Sengar assured the court that he would surrender by Saturday.
The court listed the matter for hearing next week.
Jaideep Sengar, 50, sought the bail extension on the grounds that he is suffering from oral cancer.
The Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) counsel had earlier said it was not a fit case for extension of interim bail, and the prescription given by Jaideep Sengar in support of his plea was fabricated.
In his application, Jaideep Sengar said he was suffering from stage IV oral cancer, a life-threatening condition, and had developed clinical signs of recurrence.
The condition, the plea said, required continuous and specialised medical care.
The plea also informed that Jaideep Sengar has spent about four years in custody.
The high court had granted interim bail to Jaideep Sengar on July 3, 2024, for two months on medical grounds.
Kuldeep Sengar was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life on December 20, 2019, for raping the minor in 2017.
On March 13, 2020, Kuldeep Sengar, along with Jaideep Sengar, was sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment by the trial court, which also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh, in the custodial death case of the rape survivor's father.
The survivor's father was arrested, allegedly at the behest of the accused, under the Arms Act and died in custody on April 9, 2018, owing to police brutality.
The trial court said no leniency could be shown for killing a family's sole breadwinner.
