Woman, newborn dead after 'phone-assisted' delivery at Ayodhya hospital; facility sealed
Ayodhya (UP) (PTI): A 32-year-old woman and her newborn allegedly died due to medical negligence after a delivery was conducted by "untrained staff" at a private hospital here, with the doctor directing the procedure over the phone, officials and family members said on Thursday.
Following the incident late Tuesday night in Faizabad city, the health department sealed the hospital and launched a probe.
Suresh Yadav, a resident of Beniganj, said his wife Soni Yadav was admitted to Maa Parmeshwari Devi Memorial Hospital after she developed labour pains. The attending doctor, Anjali Shrivastava, initially informed them that her condition was normal.
According to the family, the doctor was not present at the time of delivery, and the procedure was carried out by a staffer. The husband alleged that this staffer was being guided by the doctor over the phone during delivery.
"After about half an hour, the staff handed over the baby and said he was not breathing. When we took the newborn to a nearby doctor, he was declared dead. Upon returning, we were told my wife's condition had worsened. She was then taken to another hospital, where she was also declared dead," Suresh Yadav alleged.
The family accused the hospital of gross negligence, claiming that no qualified doctor was present during the delivery.
Acting on complaints, a team from the Health Department, led by Additional Chief Medical Officer (ACMO) Dr Ashutosh Shrivastava, inspected the facility.
No doctor or trained medical staff were present during the inspection, and a man identified as Mahesh Singh, claiming to be the hospital manager, was found overseeing operations, the ACMO said.
"Three women who had undergone caesarean sections were also admitted there, and their care was left to the manager," the ACMO said.
The hospital's records were incomplete, the doctor's credentials were not produced, and medical waste management was found to be unsatisfactory, he added.
"The hospital has been sealed and the admitted patients have been shifted to the district women's hospital. Further investigation is underway, and an FIR will be registered if negligence is established," the ACMO said, adding that the doctor is currently untraceable.
Suresh Yadav said he married Soni, a resident of Mukimpur in Inayat Nagar, in April last year and the family was expecting their first child.
"Our happiness has been shattered due to the hospital's negligence," he said, demanding strict action against those responsible.
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Forest official caught on video seeking bribe from elephant attack victim in Karnataka
Chikkamagaluru (Karnataka) (PTI): An official in the Forest Department has come under scrutiny after a video surfaced allegedly showing him demanding a bribe from a farmer who lost areca nut and banana crops in a wild elephant attack.
The video, now circulating widely on social media, purportedly shows the official asking the farmer to pay “money for expenses” while assessing crop damage, drawing public criticism.
As per Forest Department procedure, officials are required to visit sites where crops are damaged by wild animals and prepare an assessment report, based on which government compensation is released.
The incident is reported to have occurred in Kanathi village in Chikkamagaluru taluk, where the farmer allegedly lost 65 areca nut trees in an elephant attack.
Sources said the official told the farmer that the number of damaged trees could be inflated in the report in exchange for money.
“If you give money for expenses, I will increase the number, and you will get more compensation from the government. If you don’t pay, I will record only 65,” he is heard saying.
The officer has been identified as Veerabhadra Nayak, a Deputy Range Forest Officer (DRFO) posted at Kanathi Beat under the Chikkamagaluru Forest Division, sources close to Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said.
When the farmer refused to pay, the officer reportedly waited briefly before recording the damage as 65 trees in the report, according to the video.
The video was shared on 'X' by a user who tagged Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre and official department handles, prompting calls for action.
Netizens have demanded strict action against the officer for allegedly seeking a bribe from a farmer already facing financial distress due to crop loss.
