Heartbreaking tale of loss and hope

Baramulla, Dec 1: In the village of Khadniyar in Baramulla outskirts, a narrow alley leading to the house of Dilshada now echoes with the silent sobs of a grief-stricken family.

The tranquillity of this serene place has been shattered by the heartbreaking tale of a woman who passed away this week a day after giving birth to her newborn baby who, within hours of his arrival into this world, found himself orphaned.

The story began at the labour room of Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla, where all the family members and relatives were cherishing the joy as a new life entered their family.

However, destiny had a cruel twist in store. The mother, who had just embraced the joys of motherhood a second time, succumbed to an unforeseen tragedy a day after delivering the baby.

The mother passed away before she was discharged from the hospital.

Following this, the corridors of the hospital bore witness to the echoes of grief.

The husband Bilal Ahmad Lone, already grappling with the recent loss of his mother, now finds himself thrust into an abyss of despair.

His world, once filled with the warmth of familial bonds, now feels desolate.

"I was yet to come out of the shock of losing my mother 53 days ago and now I lost my wife. I was already orphaned and now my newborn has become an orphan before we could give him a name (his identity)," says Bilal Ahmad who is confined to a corner of his room.

Bilal and Dilshada were married just eight years ago and were already blessed with a baby boy who is now studying in UKG in a local private school.

"After every five minutes, my elder son cries and asks me to get his mother back. He forces me to rush to the GMC Baramulla and beat them for killing his mother," says Bilal.

Following the death of Dilshada, her family and relatives alleged medical negligence at Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla which resulted in her death.

Following the protests for consecutive two days, a district audit committee led by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Sopore has been constituted to probe alleged medical staff negligence at GMC Baramulla, causing the death of patient Dilshada.

The committee would submit its report to the District Magistrate Baramulla.

While the administration has taken cognisance of the incident, the family members say that any probe would not bring Dilshada back to the family but at least it should not happen to other families in the future.

"It is not the first time that negligence by doctors at GMC Baramulla has cost the life of a patient but it happened in previous years as well. But no action is taken against the accused," alleged Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone, brother of Bilal.

The juxtaposition of life and death within such a short span has left Bilal shell-shocked, struggling to make sense of the relentless blows fate has dealt him.

The visitors and neighbours visiting Bilal's home stand helpless in the face of the husband's profound grief.

Attempts to console him prove futile, as he remains lost in the traumatic reality of losing both his mother and wife within a mere 50 days.

Amid this tragedy, the newborn baby becomes a symbol of fragile hope.

The responsibility of raising the child now rests solely on the grieving father.

"I cannot muster the courage to see my son who lost his mother just hours after his birth. He is being fed with feeders by relatives which gives me immense pain as her mother would breastfeed him if she was alive," says Bilal.

As neighbours and relatives rally together, offering support and compassion to a family grappling with the harsh realities of death, the villagers of Khadniyar mourn the loss of a beloved daughter and welcome an innocent orphaned child.