Aruna Shanbaug case

Landmark Indian court case on euthanasia

Aruna Shanbaug

The Aruna Shanbaug case was a landmark legal case in India that dealt with the issue of euthanasia and the rights of patients in a persistent vegetative state. The case brought significant attention to the ethical and legal aspects of euthanasia in India and led to a pivotal judgment by the Supreme Court of India.

Background

Aruna Ramchandra Shanbaug was a nurse working at the King Edward Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, India. On the night of 27 November 1973, she was brutally assaulted by a ward boy, Sohanlal Bhartha Walmiki, who strangled her with a dog chain and sodomized her. The attack cut off the oxygen supply to her brain, leaving her in a persistent vegetative state.

Medical Condition

Following the assault, Aruna Shanbaug remained in a vegetative state for 42 years. She was cared for by the staff of King Edward Memorial Hospital, who fed her and attended to her daily needs. Her condition was characterized by a lack of awareness of her surroundings, although she could breathe on her own and had some reflexive movements.

Legal Proceedings

In 2011, a petition was filed by journalist Pinki Virani in the Supreme Court of India, seeking permission for euthanasia for Aruna Shanbaug. The petition argued that Shanbaug had been in a vegetative state for decades and that continuing her life support was inhumane.

Supreme Court Judgment

The Supreme Court of India delivered its judgment on 7 March 2011. The court rejected the plea for euthanasia but laid down guidelines for passive euthanasia, which involves the withdrawal of life support to patients in a permanent vegetative state. The court ruled that passive euthanasia could be allowed under strict guidelines and with the approval of the High Court.

Impact

The judgment in the Aruna Shanbaug case was significant as it recognized the legality of passive euthanasia in India under certain conditions. It also sparked a nationwide debate on the ethical and moral implications of euthanasia and the rights of patients who are unable to make decisions for themselves.

Death

Aruna Shanbaug passed away on 18 May 2015, due to pneumonia. Her death marked the end of a long and tragic chapter in Indian medical and legal history.

Related pages

• Euthanasia in India
• Right to die
• Persistent vegetative state
• Supreme Court of India