The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the tragic death of 43-year-old Savita Govind Birajdar, an after a newspaper report. Birajdar died allegedly due to a four-hour delay in ambulance availability at the Rukminibai Hospital run by the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC). The commission acted based on a report published in the regional newspaper, which alleged serious lapses in emergency medical response and violation of the patient’s fundamental right to life.
Savita Birajdar was admitted to the accident ward of Rukminibai Hospital on May 5, 2025, with complaints of weakness in her left arm. Doctors suspected a cerebrovascular accident (stroke) and referred her to a higher medical centre for urgent neurological intervention. However, it reportedly took nearly four hours to arrange an ambulance to shift her to Kalwa’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital or KEM Hospital in Mumbai.
According to the news report the sanity claimed that despite repeated requests and visible deterioration in her patient’s condition, the hospital failed to provide timely transport.
In its order, the SHRC noted that “if the averments in the media report are found to be true, it shall amount to gross negligence in protecting the human rights of the patient.” The Commission has issued notices to the Municipal Commissioner of KDMC and the Principal Secretary of the State Health Department, seeking a detailed report on the incident.
The matter has been listed before of the SHRC on June 11, 2025, thereby asking its office to inform the deceased’s family of the hearing.
