Six women, aged between 20 and 27, suffered excessive bleeding, infections, low platelet counts and multiple organ dysfunction following cesarean section (C-section) deliveries at PBM Hospital.

Preeti, one of the six women, died after remaining on ventilator support for nearly 20 days. PBM Hospital superintendent Dr. Bhikam Chand Ghiya said that the 20-year-old died of multiple organ failure. “Preeti’s kidneys had stopped functioning, and despite intensive treatment, she died on Thursday afternoon,” he said.

The body was sent for postmortem examination as authorities continue to investigate what caused so many women to become critically ill. “The findings would be examined along with reports from the ongoing inquiries and laboratory tests to determine the exact cause of the complications suffered by the women,” principal of Sardar Patel Medical College (SPMC) Surendra Kumar Verma said.

The incident triggered concern across the state, prompting authorities to constitute separate inquiry committees at the hospital, medical college and state government levels.

Samples of medicines and other materials used in treatment were also collected for laboratory examination as investigators sought to identify any common factor behind the cases. Officials said several laboratory and culture test reports are still awaited.

This came a month after five women died following C-section deliveries at a government hospital in Kota.