Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Aug 15: Grief has engulfed Safa Kadal area of Srinagar after the tragic demise of Saba Rasool, a fourth-year MBBS student at Urmia University of Medical Sciences in Iran, who passed away early Friday following health complications.
According to family members, Saba complained of severe pain two days ago and was admitted to a hospital in Iran.
“Despite medical intervention, her condition deteriorated, and she breathed her last around 3:00 AM local time,” a close relative said, confirming the death.
He said Saba had been studying in Iran since 2021, drawn by its affordable and quality medical education. “She was among over 100 Indian students evacuated during Operation Sindhu amid escalating tensions earlier this year, returning briefly to India before resuming her studies,” he said.
Saba was the first girl to arrive in Srinagar as part of the first group evacuated from Iran.
Today, following the news of her death, relatives, neighbours, friends and community elders visited her home to express solidarity with the grieving family. Women were seen reciting prayers, while men sat in mourning, recalling Saba’s dedication to her studies and her kind nature.
“We have lost a bright young girl who had dreams of becoming a doctor and serving her people. This is a loss for the whole community,” said one elderly neighbour.
Meanwhile, the bereaved family has made an urgent appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to expedite the repatriation of her mortal remains so that her last rites can be performed according to local customs.
Additionally, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has written to Union External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, seeking his urgent humanitarian intervention for the swift repatriation of the mortal remains of Saba.
The Association has urged the Ministry to take up the matter with Iranian authorities to initiate a thorough probe into allegations of gross medical negligence.
In its letter, the JKSA National Convener, Nasir Khuehami, said that Saba’s friends and batchmates, who were present during her illness and at the hospital, have alleged that her death may have been the result of gross medical negligence.
Quoting the account provided by her friends, Khuehami said Saba had been experiencing nausea and vomiting for several days. Her friends claimed it took three hours for a regular ambulance to arrive, and upon reaching the hospital, she was allegedly made to wait for two hours before being allotted a bed in the Emergency Ward (Urjanas).
“Despite her critical condition, she was reportedly kept only on normal saline for two days and given painkillers only when she complained of pain. Friends allege that her vitals were not checked for an entire day and there was no regular monitoring,” the letter stated.
The Association said that after repeated requests to transfer her to the GI Ward, she was moved from the Emergency Ward to a corridor outside the GI Ward. Later, she was shifted to the International Patient Department (IPD), where her condition reportedly deteriorated further.
“Friends say she developed seizures, her vitals became unstable, and she experienced tachycardia. She was then moved to the ICU. On the final day, she stopped speaking and kept her eyes closed,” it added.
Quoting one of her friends, the JKSA said, “Till the time she was stable, we were provided with all her reports. However, after her condition worsened, no medical reports have been shared with us.”
Doctors cited the cause of death as fulminant hepatic failure (acute liver failure) along with pulmonary complications. However, her friends and fellow students alleged that until her death, the doctors were unable to diagnose her exact illness.
The Association said the family needs immediate assistance in bringing the young students’ mortal remains back for the last rites at their ancestral area. It urged the EAM to take up the matter with the concerned authorities in Iran to ensure an impartial and transparent investigation, and to press for strict action against the hospital if negligence is confirmed.
The Association’s Iran Unit Coordinator, Faizan Aishna, said that Dr Jaishankar’s timely intervention “will not only bring solace to their shattered hearts but also reaffirm India’s commitment to the dignity and protection of its citizens abroad.” (KNO)
