Nurse in Udupi gets Rs 13.49 lakh compensation after diagnostic error costs overseas job
Udupi (Karnataka), Jun 23 (PTI): A senior Nurse in Udupi was on Monday awarded Rs 13.49 lakh in compensation by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission after she lost a job opportunity in Saudi Arabia due to a false hepatitis C diagnosis.
Shivakumar Shettigar, 43, a qualified industrial nurse from Udupi, was slated to join the United Medical Response Company in the gulf nation this February.
However, a pre-departure medical test conducted at the National CT Scanner and Diagnostic Center in Mangaluru incorrectly indicated that he was positive for Hepatitis C, a condition that disqualifies candidates under Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) medical norms.
Distressed by the result, Shettigar underwent follow-up testing at a private lab in Manipal and at the district government hospital in Udupi, both of which confirmed he was negative.
Alleging negligence and the use of faulty kits, Shettigar moved the consumer forum, claiming the lab’s error cost him not only the job but also significant emotional and financial distress.
According to a court directive, after examining evidence and hearing both parties, the commission ruled in Shettigar’s favour on May 21, 2025, directing the diagnostic centre to pay Rs 13.49 lakh in damages within 45 days, with a 6 per cent annual interest applicable in case of default.
The compensation amount accounts for three years of lost income (estimated at Rs 82,584 per month), in addition to medical costs and mental agony.
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Karnataka: Home Department asks motorists to drive on highways with caution to avoid robbery
Belagavi: The Home Department has advised motorists to stay alert while travelling on national and state highways, warning that gangs involved in robbery and extortion have been active in several stretches. It said people should be extra cautious if anyone tries to stop their vehicle in isolated areas.
Replying to an unstarred question on Thursday, the department said Karnataka has recorded 403 highway robbery cases in the past three years. According to the data, national highways saw 81 extortion and 23 robbery cases in 2023, followed by 66 extortion and 16 robbery cases in 2024. Until November 15 this year, 51 extortion and 14 robbery cases have been reported.
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On state highways, 39 extortion and 17 robberies were reported in 2023, while 2024 saw 35 extortion and 22 robbery cases. In 2025 so far, 20 extortion and 19 robbery cases have taken place. The department noted that curbing highway robberies remains a major challenge for the police.
To tackle the issue, police stations have been directed to set up regular checkpoints on stretches of highways passing through their limits. Suspicious individuals and vehicles are being checked. Two-wheelers have been allocated to every station for night patrol, and staff have been instructed to conduct night rounds using vehicles fitted with sirens and red lights.
