Kozhikode: The family of a 45-year-old woman who died of breast cancer has accused two acupuncturists of misleading her with fake treatment and preventing her from seeking proper medical care.

The deceased, Hajara from Kuttiadi, a widow and mother of three, had been under the care of two acupuncturists for over a year before being diagnosed with fourth-stage cancer. Her relatives said she was initially treated by a female acupuncturist in Kuttiadi, who allegedly told her that bleeding from her breast was a sign of recovery and advised her to avoid modern medicine. Later, she was referred to a male acupuncturist from Tirur, practising in Kozhikode, who reportedly prescribed water and dates as treatment.

By the time her family learned of her condition and took her to the hospital, doctors who diagnosed her with breast cancer said it was too late for curative treatment. Despite being shifted to cancer centres in Kozhikode and Bengaluru, Hajara succumbed to the disease recently.

Her relatives alleged that timely treatment could have saved her life and said they would file a complaint with Kuttiadi police against both acupuncturists. With her death, Hajara’s three children have been orphaned, as her husband had died 10 years ago.