Baripada, Oct. 13: A gynaecologist posted at the Mayurbhanj district headquarters hospital was asked today to go on leave by the district collector following the death of a 25-year-old pregnant woman at the operation theatre before a Caesarean procedure could be performed yesterday evening.

Family members of the deceased, Jayanti Murmu of Bhologadia village under Khunta police limits, had accused the doctor of neglecting her and had refused to accept her body.

District collector Rajesh Prabhakar has ordered a probe and directed the doctor - Anjan Sarang - to go on leave while the probe was conducted.

Following the incident, family members of the deceased alleged that the death had occurred due to the doctor's negligent attitude. Jayanti's husband Dasmatha lodged an FIR against Sarangi alleging that the delay in carrying out the Caesarean operation had led to her death. Today, hundreds of people demonstrated in front of the police outpost at the hospital with the body.

The agitators demanded action against the doctor along with compensation. The administration announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 20,000 for the husband of the deceased after which the protestors left.

Baripada sub-collector Sarat Purohit said: "An inquiry will be conducted into the matter and the doctor has been asked to go on leave. The body has been handed over to the family after post-mortem. The deceased's husband was given Rs 20,000 in cash from the Red Cross fund," he said.

The patient was admitted to the hospital around 11am yesterday and this was her second delivery. "Since the family members have alleged that the death was due to negligence, the district collector ordered him to go on leave till the inquiry was complete," he said.