Thiruvananthapuram: An Assistant Professor attached to the surgery department of the Medical College Hospital here was placed under suspension after the death of a patient, who was operated upon for thyroid at a private hospital in Adoor.

The Director of Medical Education suspended Dr Jayan Stephen from service for conducting the surgery on S Kala, 49, a village officer, in violation of the norm barring government doctors from holding private practice.

Dr Stephen had conducted the surgery at the private hospital on Friday.

As the woman's condition worsened the next morning, doctors, who had treated her, and nurses rushed her to another hospital in Kollam, where she died around 10 am. The hospital said the woman, wife of Vijayakumar of Kalayapauram in Kollam, died of cardiac arrest.

After her death, Kala's relatives lodged a complaint of medical negligence with Health Minister Veena George. The minister found grave misconduct on the surgeon's part.

The private hospital, which had not included Dr Stephen in its panel of doctors, said two others led the team that had conducted the surgery. Dr Stephen, however, admitted to an enquiry panel that he had conducted the surgery on Kala.

Police have registered a case against the Adoor hospital.