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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Dead infant kept for days on ventilator in Ranchi hospital, parents claim; FIR filed
The parents of an infant alleged that a private hospital in Ranchi, where he was admitted last month, hid his death from them and kept the body on ventilator for several days. The hospital has denied the allegations. Police have registered an FIR in the case, and Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri said a three-member team had been formed to investigate the matter. 'After the child died, the body was allegedly kept on a ventilator and began decaying. The body was emitting a foul smell. And the child's parents come from a very poor family,' Bhajantri said. The baby was born on July 4 at Ranchi Sadar Hospital and was moved to Little Heart Hospital on July 8 after the family noticed signs of oxygen deficiency. A doctor from the hospital, Dr Satyajeet Kumar, said in a press conference on Sunday that the baby was alive until he was discharged from the hospital 'against medical advice' on July 30. He also rejected allegations that the hospital had hidden the baby's death and presented what he said were photographs and time-stamped medical monitor screenshots from the day the baby was handed over to the family. He insisted that the baby was not showing signs of decomposition. The baby's father, Mukesh Singh, an auto-rickshaw driver, told The Indian Express that after the baby was admitted to the private hospital, the family was denied even 10 minutes with the baby. He said that the family borrowed around Rs 3 lakh for the treatment. Mukesh said that on July 12, after repeatedly insisting, the hospital sent them a video in which the baby appeared to be alive. But two to three days later, they sent the exact same video again, raising suspicions, he claimed. 'At no point were we allowed to verify the baby's condition in person. Whenever we demanded to see him, the hospital would send pre-recorded videos, citing 'swelling' as the reason for the bloated appearance,' he claimed. 'After a week, I started doubting whether my baby was even alive. But I couldn't bring myself to ask anyone out of fear of hearing the worst,' he said. On July 30, the hospital handed over the baby, Mukesh said. However, he alleged that the baby had been dead for days, as the body was bloated and emitting a foul smell. The hospital issued a statement rejecting all accusations made against it. In a press conference on Sunday, Dr Satyajeet Kumar, who was among those who treated the infant, said the baby was admitted on July 8 with severe respiratory distress and infection. 'The baby was in septic shock. We admitted him without waiting for formalities like registration or payment.' He said the child showed vital signs, heartbeat, movement, and oxygen saturation until July 30. 'Monitor readings showed 94% oxygen saturation. The baby was moving and breathing irregularly. These are not signs of a dead body,' he said. He further said that the family insisted on taking the baby home despite being warned of the critical condition. 'We explained the risks clearly, but they insisted. So we completed formalities and handed the child over in a living state,' he said. Brahmdev Prasad, the officer in charge of Argora police station, said an FIR was registered. He said an investigation is underway. Deputy Commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri told The Indian Express, 'A probe is underway. A team comprising a doctor nominated by the Civil Surgeon, an Executive Magistrate, and the District Social Welfare Officer has been formed.' 'Action will be taken based on the committee's findings. I was told that a complaint has been lodged at Argora police station, but we will also separately see that issue. The matter may also fall under provisions of the Clinical Establishment Act. We will act accordingly,' Bhajantri said. BJP state president and Jharkhand's Leader of Opposition, Babulal Marandi weighed in on the case, calling it an 'inhuman act'. Shubham Tigga hails from Chhattisgarh and studied journalism at the Asian College of Journalism. He previously reported in Chhattisgarh on Indigenous issues and is deeply interested in covering socio-political, human rights, and environmental issues in mainland and NE India. Presently based in Pune, he reports on civil aviation, other transport sectors, urban mobility, the gig economy, commercial matters, and workers' unions. You can reach out to him on LinkedIn ... Read More
Time of India
28-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Kaimur tipped as state's next tiger hub amid surging big cat numbers
1 2 Patna: As the world marks Tiger Conservation Day on Tuesday (July 29), Bihar has reason to celebrate as it has witnessed a remarkable surge in its tiger population in recent years, a clear sign of improving forest ecosystems and successful conservation efforts. According to the All India Tiger Estimation Reports, published every four years, the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran had just eight tigers in 2010. This number rose to 28 in 2014, 31 in 2018 and an impressive 54 in 2022. The current population now exceeds VTR's optimal capacity of 45 tigers. Buoyed by this growth, the state govt has initiated steps to develop a second tiger reserve in the Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary (KWLS). Spread across 1,504 square kilometres, KWLS is set to be developed into another 'tiger-bearing landscape' in Bihar, said Gopal Sharma, former joint director of the Zoological Survey of India. In fact, the move to establish the Kaimur Tiger Reserve began as early as 2018 when then Kaimur district forest officer Satyajeet Kumar reported tiger sightings, along with pugmarks and prey remains. Tigers had not been observed in the region since 1995. Following these reports, a team of experts conducted a site visit and evaluated the sanctuary for designation as a tiger reserve, Sharma added. Samir Kumar Sinha, chief ecologist at the Wildlife Trust of India, welcomed the growing tiger numbers in Bihar's forests and urged for focused efforts to improve the habitat and prevent tiger migration. "If VTR has surplus tigers, some can be relocated to the proposed Kaimur Tiger Reserve," he said. Sinha also pointed out that the eastern fringes of the Kaimur forests, located in the Vindhyan hills, are well connected to Panna, Bandhavgarh and Sanjay-Dubri Tiger Reserves in Madhya Pradesh. "If the big cats find favourable habitats, they may move from one forest to another," he said. Environmental activist Mehta Nagendra Singh attributed the increase in the tiger population at VTR to heightened public awareness and stricter monitoring of mining activities around the reserve. "Minimising human-wildlife conflict has played a crucial role in this growth," he said.
