A 13-member Indian medical team, including five doctors, travelled to Mauritius to operate on 27-year-old Elodie Thomas, who was critically injured in a shooting.
The KIMS Hospitals specialists performed the surgery in coordination with Mauritian doctors after deciding that transferring the patient to India would be risky.
The shooting triggered unrest in Mauritius, while a police sergeant was arrested and provisionally charged in connection with the incident.
A 13-member medical team from India travelled to Mauritius to perform a complex surgery on a 27-year-old woman critically injured in a shooting allegedly involving a police officer, helping save her life. Elodie Thomas was returning home from work in a van near Port Louis on October 9 when she was struck by a bullet. The operation was carried out on October 12 by specialists from Hyderabad-based KIMS Hospitals, working alongside Mauritian doctors. Thomas has since shown significant improvement and is able to walk a few steps, according to the Indian medical delegation.
The medical intervention followed an urgent request from Mauritius's Health Minister Anil Bachoo to Indian High Commissioner Anurag Srivastava on the night of October 10. Indian authorities contacted KIMS Hospitals, whose doctors assessed the case in consultation with local medical teams. They concluded that transferring Thomas to India would be risky and that specialists should instead travel to Mauritius to carry out the procedure. The 13-member delegation, comprising five doctors and eight specialists and technicians, arrived on October 12.
Complex Surgery And Coordination With Mauritian Doctors
The surgery was challenging because of the bullet's trajectory and the risk of damage to sensitive neurological structures, as well as possible infection. Neurosurgeon Dr Kapil Khandelwal, who was part of the Indian delegation, said the bullet had entered near Thomas's ear and passed through the region of the parotid gland towards sensitive structures. The operation required precision to prevent neurological damage that could have caused permanent weakness.
Medical coordination began even before the Indian team reached Mauritius. Doctors established remote communication through a WhatsApp group, allowing specialists in India to receive updates on Thomas's neurological condition, vital signs, scans and blood-test results. Khandelwal said the information helped him guide the local medical team ahead of the operation. Following surgery, doctors reported no neurological deficit or infection, while Thomas continued to recover.
Dr Rakesh Jalla, who led the Indian delegation, said the rapid mobilisation and coordination were crucial to the intervention. Some members of the team returned to India the day after arriving, while specialists involved in post-operative care stayed on for several more days. The doctors described the patient's recovery as encouraging, given the severity and complexity of her injuries.
Shooting Triggered Unrest In Mauritius
The shooting also triggered protests and unrest in Mauritius, including road blockades, burning of tyres and attacks on police property. Thomas was injured in Camp-Levieux, south of Port Louis, amid tensions linked to local water-supply problems. A police sergeant was arrested and provisionally charged in connection with the incident, while authorities said the circumstances surrounding the shooting remained under investigation.
Mauritius's Health Minister Bachoo defended the decision to seek medical assistance from India rather than nearby Reunion Island, saying the choice was based on the specialists' experience and expertise in handling the complex case. Indian High Commissioner Srivastava described the operation as an example of cooperation between the two countries, saying it reflected their close partnership.
