MP high court notice on death of 2 newborns after rat bites in Indore hospital

The family members of the girls held the hospital administration responsible for their deaths though doctors have contested this charge.

Published on: Sep 11, 2025, 22:59:33 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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BHOPAL: The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh high court on Thursday took suo-motu cognisance of the death of two infants after rat bites at Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital in Indore and sought a report from the state government.

One baby died on Tuesday morning, while the second passed away around 1 pm on Wednesday.(Screengrab from X/@medicaldialogs) (FILE)

The two babies at Indore’s government-run hospital died on September 2 and 3.

The family members of the girls held the hospital administration responsible for their deaths though doctors have contested this charge.

On Thursday, a bench of justices Vivek Rusia and JK Pillai took note of the tragic turn of events, underlining that the issue was related to the “fundamental rights” of newborns and public health.

The high court sought a status report within five days and issued notice to the government.

Hospital superintendent Dr Ashok Yadav proceeded on leave on Thursday till 25 September. The health department has removed pediatric surgery head Dr Brijesh Lahoti and suspended Dr Manoj Joshi, who was in charge of the ward.

In face of unrelenting criticism over the death of the infants, deputy chief minister Rajendra Shukla on Wednesday ordered a probe into the incident. Already, principal secretary of public health and security Sandeep Yadav has directed the hospital to terminate the contract with Agile Company for failing to control pests in the complex.

The hospital had imposed a ₹1 lakh fine on the company on September 4.

It had also taken action against assistant superintendent Dr Mukesh Jaiswal, nursing in-charge Praveena Singh, and nursing officers Akanksha Benjamin and Shweta Chauhan for dereliction of duty on the same day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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