Newborn Body Case: An extremely alarming incident has come to light in Palamu district of Jharkhand. A body of a child has been found in the mouth of a street dog at Medinirai Medical College and Hospital (MMCH), Medininagar. As a result a total of 12 people including doctors and private hospital owner have been registered under an FIR for this incident.
This followed the closure of Uttam Hospital and Nipun Ultrasound Centre by the district administration following initial inquiries into the case, including CCTV footage. This has raised serious concerns regarding how foetal matter was handled.
Newswave Jharkhand reported that the FIR was registered at Medininagar town police station, on behalf of Dr Praveen Oraon from Jamune Additional Primary Healthcare Centre, Palamu. Nine individuals and three unknowns are named in the FIR, bringing the total number of accused to 12.
The accused in this case include Uttam Kumar Singh, owner of the private hospital, alongside Smriti Singh Kushwaha and S.K. Bindu doctors. It also includes sections of law under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). The exact sections used and claims made against each accused can be confirmed in the FIR. “A case has been registered and provisions under the POCSO Act have also been invoked. The police are currently investigating the matter,” said Jyotilal Rajwar, Station House Officer (SHO) of Medininagar Town.
What Happened At Palamu Hospital?
On October 27, footage went viral online showing a street dog carrying what appeared to be the remains of a child/foetus within the MMCH grounds. This prompted the district administration to start an investigation into the incident.
Palamu Deputy Commissioner Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat and Superintendent of Police Kapil Chaudhary became aware of the incident. They started searching the hospital, including areas such as the post-mortem room and requested CCTV footage is accessed.
Initial investigations showed that CCTV footage captured two women walking into the MMCH grounds carrying a bag around 5.12am before returning an hour later without the bag. This was then connected to a claim of termination of pregnancy at a local private hospital.
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Uttam Hospital and Ultrasound Centre Closure
As a result of the initial investigation, Uttam Hospital and the adjacent Nipun Ultrasound Centre were closed on October 27 by the Palamu administration. Officials also looked into whether the procedure was carried out correctly and in line with any laws. (+1 The Times of India)
A blood-stained bag was found and confiscated by police. Two pregnant women who had been admitted to the private hospital were transferred to MMCH.
Medical Termination and Disposal Laws
The case has highlighted the rules in place regarding termination of pregnancy. Termination of pregnancy in India is regulated under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act (MTP) and its associated rules. The rules will vary depending on the situation. However, officials are looking into whether these rules were followed in this case.
