Stray Dog Allegedly Steals Baby from Hospital
A shocking incident has come to light from Bankura district in West Bengal, where a premature baby was allegedly carried away by a stray dog from a State-run hospital.
The incident occurred on November 18th, 2024 when a pregnant resident of Kochdihi village identified as Priya Roy was admitted to the Bankura Sonamukhi Rural Hospital due to severe stomach pain.
She was reportedly directed to collect a urine sample but unexpectedly delivered a six-month-old premature baby in the hospital washroom as she tried to collect the sample.
The newborn was then unfortunately carried away by a stray dog roaming on the premises. Despite attempts to chase the dog, the baby could not be retrieved.
Priya’s family members accused the hospital staff of negligence, stating that no one attended to Priya despite their repeated requests for assistance.
They alleged that following Priya’s unexpected delivery, they immediately approached the hospital staff seeking help, but the staff were slow to respond.
While requests were being made to attend to Priya, the baby was left unattended in the washroom. By the time family members returned to check, they found the baby missing.
Soon after, they spotted a stray dog roaming freely within the hospital premises, carrying the unattended infant away. Shockingly, witnesses confirmed that stray dogs remained within the hospital compound even after the incident.
The hospital administration launched an investigation shortly after receiving information about the incident. Minakshi Maity, the Deputy CMOH of Bishnupur Health District issued a statement asserting that preliminary investigations revealed inconsistencies in the family’s account, particularly concerning the pregnancy’s duration.
She further alleged that a photograph submitted by the family to substantiate their claim was fabricated. However, Priya maintained her stance, insisting that she was six months pregnant and refuting the claims of inaccurate medical records provided by local healthcare workers.
Priya has been reportedly shifted to the nearby Bishnupur Super-Speciality Hospital after the incident came to light, and is undergoing treatment now.
The conflicting accounts have led to a heated exchange between the family and the hospital staff. The police have intervened to investigate the matter and shed light on the truth. Additionally, representatives from the Bishnupur Health District have conducted an on-site investigation to gather evidence and interview hospital staff.
The incident has also drawn the attention of political leaders and has further sparked outrage and raised serious concerns about the infrastructure and security measures in place at government healthcare facilities.
Amit Malviya, the IT Cell chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has shared the distressing news on social media, criticizing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the lack of adequate medical facilities. He has called the incident “appalling and heartbreaking.”
“A horrifying incident has emerged from Sonamukhi, West Bengal,” Malviya shared on X, formerly Twitter. “Under the so-called ‘world-class’ leadership of Health Minister Mamata Banerjee, a pregnant woman was forced to give birth in a toilet, after enduring prolonged labor pain, without receiving any medical attention. Tragically, following the delivery, a dog—roaming freely within the premises, where cats and dogs move unchecked—snatched the newborn and ran away with it. Appalling and heartbreaking.”
Many commenters expressed outrage over the incident, with some supporting Malviya’s accusation of inadequate medical facilities and others doubting the claim’s authenticity. “This can’t be real!” one user wrote, while another added, “a dog ran away with a newborn Child That’s so heartbreaking Can’t imagine what would have happened with that infant,” another added
A horrifying incident has emerged from Sonamukhi, West Bengal.
Under the so-called ‘world-class’ leadership of Health Minister Mamata Banerjee, a pregnant woman was forced to give birth in a toilet, after enduring prolonged labor pain, without receiving any medical attention.… pic.twitter.com/tCIpEPic6J
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) November 19, 2024