Rights panel seeks reports on torchlight delivery at Faridabad hospital

The commission termed the incident inhuman and questioned lapses in emergency maternal healthcare services at the facility.

The Haryana Human Rights Commission has termed the birth of a child in mobile torchlight at the parking lot of a first referral unit (FRU) government hospital in Faridabad’s Ballabgarh on May 16 as “disturbing and inhuman”, taking serious cognisance of the matter and directing multiple authorities to submit detailed reports.

Rights panel seeks reports on torchlight delivery at Faridabad hospital

Commission chairman Justice (retired) Lalit Batra questioned the implementation of the Haryana government’s Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), which assures free and safe delivery services at government health institutions, while seeking a detailed report on the entire case.

The commission observed that the incident reflects a serious failure of the public healthcare system where a pregnant woman could not access timely institutional medical care even after reaching the hospital. It noted the matter concerns rights guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, including the right to life, dignity, health, and emergency medical assistance. Officials confirmed that the health condition of both the mother and the newborn is stable now.

Commission assistant registrar Puneet Arora said, “The Commission stated that every pregnant woman is entitled to immediate, safe, and dignified medical care at a government healthcare institution and that if the allegations reported in the media are found to be true, the same would amount to a serious violation of Article 21 of the Constitution.”

The health centre in charge was asked to detail the circumstances of the outdoor delivery, the status of the emergency gate and labour room, the patient’s arrival timeline, and the current health status of the mother and child. “All concerned authorities have been directed to submit their detailed reports at least one week prior to the next date of hearing August 19,” Arora said.

The family had arrived at the FRU at 1.40am on May 16 to find the gates locked. After knocking for several minutes, the gates opened, but the delay proved critical, and the woman delivered in the parking lot by torchlight. Following the incident, a general duty assistant under the National Health Mission was sacked, a security guard absent from duty was suspended, and a staff nurse was transferred.