The Kerala High Court Tuesday denied anticipatory bail to three doctors who were booked after pictures of a patient of theirs undergoing a caesarean section went viral on social media.

A woman from Kasargode district had delivered triplets July 18 through C-section at the state-owned Payyanur taluk hospital. In the past few days, visuals of the delivery went viral on the social media, forcing her to file a police complaint.

Following her complaint the Payyanur police registered a case and began a probe. The matter was also investigated by Kannur district medical officer (DMO) K.J. Reena. Reena told reporters in Kannur Tuesday that the visuals do show the C-section performed at the Payyanur taluk hospital. Four other staff members who were present during the delivery have also been booked.

Numerous political outfits staged protests in front of the hospital and demanded action against the erring officials. The three doctors have stopped coming to work and their mobile phones have been switched off. The DMO Tuesday submitted a report to Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar. The three doctors are likely to be suspended, say sources. The court has posted the case for Sep 30.