Savita Halappanavar’s body was brought back in secrecy to Belgaum after she allegedly succumbed to the rigid Irish law that did not allow her to terminate her pregnancy. Her blood had got poisoned due to miscarriage, but the doctors at the University College Hospital, Galway, Ireland, allegedly refused to remove the foetus as that would have violated Ireland’s anti-abortion law. The 31-year-old dentist from Belgaum, who was 17-week pregnant, lost her battle with septicaemia.
Her death has evoked strong reactions across the globe. Her family has slammed the Irish anti-abortion law. Her father Andaneppa Yalagi lamented, “My daughter did not die due to complications in her pregnancy. It was the Irish law which killed her. No other daughter should have to die, like Savita did.”
Speaking to the Sunday Standard, her husband Praveen Halappanavar recounted the horror. “Savita complained about severe back pain. She was admitted to the hospital. She repeatedly requested doctors to terminate her pregnancy, but they said that they could not do it because Ireland is a Catholic country and abortion is banned and illegal. After confirming that the foetus was dead on October 24, they removed it surgically. That was the last time I saw my wife alive.”
“She was a bright student. She was also good in extra-curricular activities. Her bold and friendly nature helped her develop a huge friend circle,” said Prof Shivappa Dalwai of RLSI. Another friend in Ireland recalled, “Savita would always help people and ensure them justice.”
- Sunday Standard