Tribal Activists & Father Of Girl Who Died After Leprosy Drug Reaction To Go On Hunger Strike

Navi Mumbai: Tribal activists and the father of nine-year-old Khushbu Namdev Thakre, who allegedly died after suffering a severe adverse reaction to medicines administered during a government leprosy screening campaign despite later being found not to have leprosy, will launch an indefinite hunger strike outside the Pen Sub-Divisional Officer's office on Thursday. The protesters are demanding the registration of an FIR against health department and Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) officials, alleging that negligence in her treatment led to her death.

Girl Died on January 22, 2025

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Khushbu, a Class IV student of the Government Adivasi Ashram School at Tambadi Thakurwadi in Pen taluka, died on January 22, 2025. Her family has consistently maintained that she was wrongly diagnosed with leprosy and given medication without their consent. They allege the medicines triggered a severe reaction that damaged her kidneys, and doctors at MGM Hospital later informed them that she did not have leprosy.

According to the protesters, the matter has since been raised twice in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, following which a government committee was constituted to investigate the incident. They claim the committee concluded that negligence had occurred during Khushbu's treatment. However, despite the findings, no criminal case has been registered against the officials concerned.

'Exhausted All Democratic Means'

"Even after the committee found negligence, the administration and police have failed to register an FIR. We have exhausted all democratic means over the past one and half year. We are now left with no option but to begin an indefinite hunger strike until criminal action is initiated," social activist Santosh Thakur said.

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Khushbu's father, Namdev Thakre, along with activists Nanda Mhatre, Santosh Thakur and other supporters, will participate in the protest, demanding that criminal charges be filed against the officials and employees of the health department and the Integrated Tribal Development Project allegedly responsible for the child's death.

The hunger strike is the latest phase of a prolonged campaign for justice. In May 2025, hundreds of tribal residents marched to the Pen Tehsil office seeking criminal action against the officials involved. At the time, protesters had also demanded the release of Khushbu's clinical analysis report, a time-bound judicial inquiry, compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the family, and systemic reforms in healthcare for students studying in government Ashram schools.

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