Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai has strongly criticised the state’s Congress government on Thursday after a newborn was discovered dead in the corridor of the Haveri Government Hospital. He said the tragedy reflects a serious collapse in the state’s healthcare infrastructure.
Calling the incident “heartbreaking,” Bommai accused the ruling administration of failing to ensure even the most basic facilities, such as adequate hospital beds. In a post on social media site X, he wrote that the news of a newborn baby dying in a hospital corridor was “truly tragic”.
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Bommai stated that the Congress-led government must accept responsibility for the loss suffered by the infant’s mother and family.
“The death of a newborn baby in the corridor of the Haveri government hospital is a very heartbreaking incident,” Bommai wrote, adding, “This is a clear example of the @INCKarnataka government's irresponsibility. It is truly tragic that the government has failed to even provide the necessary infrastructure, namely beds, in government hospitals.”
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{{/usCountry}}“The child has died due to this irresponsibility of the government. The Congress government is directly responsible for this immense loss to the mother and the family,” he further added.
What actually happened
The incident sparked anger among the woman’s family and prompted authorities to launch a high-level investigation. The tragedy unfolded on Tuesday when 30-year-old Roopa Karabannanavar from Kakol village near Ranebennur reached the Haveri Government Hospital while in active labour.
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Relatives claimed Roopa was turned away from admission because the obstetrics and gynaecology ward had no vacant beds. They alleged that the labour ward was packed beyond capacity, leaving her with no option but to wait outside.
Still in intense pain, Roopa reportedly tried to walk towards the restroom when she suddenly went into delivery. The baby was born in the corridor and fell to the floor, suffering severe injuries that proved fatal within moments.