Change In Euthanasia Law by Aruna Shanbaug Case in India

  • On 9th March 2011, Supreme Court declare right to dignity by providing guidlines to use passive euthanasia for the patients who are suffering from some serious disease or issues which are hard to cure and where patients are feeling intolerable pain. Passive euthanasia are for the patients where there’s no hope of them getting well.
  • She was a nurse in Mumbai’s Memorial Hospital. While changing her uniform within the basement of the hospital, she got assaulted by a ward boy Valmiki. He choked her with dog’s chain aroud neck.
  • Because of the dog chain tied on her neck overnight, it cut off the supply of oxygen in her brain which made her paralysed and in a unconscious state for 42 years.
  • Valmiki was charged with imprisonment of 7 years for attempt to murder and robbery. His imprisonment was reduced to 6 years because he was already in the lockup. In 1980 he walked out of the jail.
  • The Supreme Court accepted the petition of Aruna’s case and made a medical board who can give the report of Aruna’s medical condition and on her health. The board comprises of 3 renowned doctors and concluded that the brain of the patient isn’t dead and reply to different activities in different ways. So there’s no need of euthanasia.
  • Nurses of KEM hospital also came forward to oppose the euthanasia because they were happy to look after the Aruna.
  • Finally, she took her last breath on 18th May 2015 due to severe pneumonia.
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