Priyanka Gandhi seeks fair probe into medical negligence at medical college in Kerala
Wayanad (Kerala) (PTI): Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday sought an impartial and fair probe into an alleged incident of medical negligence at the Mananthavady Government Medical College, where a piece of cloth was reportedly left inside a woman’s stomach after delivery.
In a letter to Kerala Health Minister Veena George, Vadra said the young mother suffered immense pain due to the alleged medical lapse, which could have become life-threatening.
She expressed hope that the investigation ordered by the district medical officer in response to the woman’s complaint "will be undertaken with fairness and objectivity."
Vadra noted that while Kerala’s public healthcare system has been instrumental in making medical treatment accessible to the majority, the Mananthavady medical college—"a vital lifeline for the public" in her Wayanad parliamentary constituency—is struggling with severe resource constraints.
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She cited inadequate manpower and critical medical equipment as key issues, adding that these concerns had been previously raised with both the central and state governments.
The Congress MP also pointed out that the absence of several specialities at Mananthavady Medical College forces patients to travel over 80 kilometres to the government medical college in Kozhikode.
"Unfortunately, the overstretched capacity of the hospital affects the quality of care provided and has proven fatal in the past," she said.
Vadra urged the government to ensure effective accountability and grievance redressal mechanisms at government hospitals, and called for an impartial investigation into the alleged lapse.
She also requested adequate resource allocation to the hospital so that it can "function effectively and deliver quality care."
"It is an urgent need for the people of Wayanad, who are still struggling to access quality healthcare in the region," she added.
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Naval information leak case: Fourth accused held
Udupi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Udupi police have arrested another accused in a case involving the alleged transmission of confidential information related to the Indian Navy to Pakistan, taking the total number of arrests to four, officials said on Thursday.
The arrested accused has been identified as Alif Islam (21), a native of West Bengal, who was presently residing at Marayur village in Idukki district of Kerala, they said.
He was apprehended in connection with the alleged leak of a confidential list containing identification numbers of Indian naval vessels, police said.
According to investigators, the accused are suspected to have shared sensitive information through WhatsApp and Facebook with contacts in Pakistan without authorisation.
The case was registered at Malpe police station in 2025 following a complaint regarding the alleged illegal transmission of naval-related data, officials said.
Police said the investigation pertains to the alleged sharing of a classified list of ship numbers linked to the Indian Navy.
In November 2025, two accused -- Rohit and Santri from Uttar Pradesh -- were taken into custody in connection with the same case. Later, Hirendra Kumar from Gujarat was arrested in December 2025.
With the latest arrest, the number of persons held in the case has risen to four.
Police said one more accused is yet to be apprehended. The operator of the Facebook page allegedly used to transmit the information also remains at large.
Investigators suspect that Islam may be a Bangladeshi national, and efforts are on to verify his citizenship and other credentials.
Further investigation is under way, police added.
