SAMBALPUR: Popular Sambalpuri singer and album artist Ruksana Bano died of multiple organ failure allegedly caused by scrub typhus at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar.
While Ruksana was hospitalised for three weeks at different hospitals before she succumbed, her family has alleged foul play and blamed a fellow artist of poisoning her.
The 27-year-old Bhawanipatna-based artist fell ill towards the end of last month and was initially admitted to a hospital in Bhawanipatna on August 27. She was referred to Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital in Balangir. However, as her condition deteriorated, she was first shifted to a private hospital in Bargarh and referred to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar two days back.
Dr Santosh Kumar Tete who treated Ruksana at the private hospital in Bargarh said, she was admitted on August 31 with complaints of persistent fever and respiratory distress. The test confirmed she was infected with scrub typhus.
“She was also suffering from severe pneumonia. This apart, her organs had not been functioning as usual as she had liver infection and heart problems too. As her condition deteriorated, she was kept on ventilator for around 10 days,” Dr Tete said.
As there was no improvement in her condition, her family expressed the desire to shift her to a better facility. The hospital discharged her after giving medical advice.
Meanwhile, Ruksana’s family members have alleged foul play and claimed her death is a pre-meditated murder. As per Ruksana’s mother, her daughter fell out with a fellow singer over some issues following which she might have been poisoned.
The fellow artist uploaded a video defying the allegation. Ruksana is survived by her mother, elder sister and a younger brother. She was the sole bread winner of her family.