Doctors baffled by Indrani’s drug ‘overdose’

Every day for the past few months, Indrani Mukerjea, prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, has been receiving three tablets under a jail guard’s close observation. Her hospitalisation at the State-run JJ Hospital due to a possible drug overdose has, therefore, raised an important question — where did she access the drugs that could have led to an overdose?

Dr. Wiqar Shaikh, Professor of Medicine at the JJ Hospital said Mukerjea has been taking three pills every day after breakfast for several months.

“She has been on amlodipine, an anti-hypertensive drug, aspirin, an anti-platelet drug and amitriptyline, an anti-depressant. All three medicines are given to her under observation by a jail guard,” said Dr. Shaikh, who has been treating Mukerjea in the jail as well.

“ ‘Direct observation’ means the drug is put in her mouth and she then gulps it down with water. No drugs are given in her hands at any point,” Dr Shaikh explained, adding however, that all Mukerjea’s symptoms are indicative of a drug overdose. “I can only comment on her medical condition. I cannot comment on the overdose,” he said. Mukerjea is now stable and responding to commands, he added.

Mukerjea was admitted to the JJ Hospital in an unconscious condition on Friday night. Dr. Shaikh said she was found in this condition at around 9 p.m. in the jail and brought in to the hospital at 10 p.m. “She was admitted under my unit by 11 p.m.”

Test results awaited

Doctors said Mukerjea had developed fever on Sunday and an x-ray showed a patch in her lung indicating aspiration pneumonia, which occurs due to inhalation of food or saliva into lungs. Her blood, urine and stomach samples have been sent for testing at Kalina’s Forensic Science Laboratory and Hinduja Hospital. “We have received only the blood report so far. But it is not indicative of anything. All the reports will have to be studied together,” said Dr. Sanjay Surase, Medical Superintendent of the hospital.

Dr. Shaikh said if she had overdosed on the anti hypertensive drug, her blood pressure (BP) would have crashed drastically. But when she was brought in, her BP was stable. He also said if she had overdosed on the aspirin, she may have developed internal bleeding, which was not the case either.

“I am not in the position of saying anything about the anti-depressant as that is not in my purview,” he said.