Police probe claims of stray dog mutilating newborn’s body at Madhya Pradesh hospital

Hospital authorities claimed that the newborn was likely a stillbirth that took place in the hospital bathroom. Verma said a teenager, who had been admitted to the hospital on Friday morning with complaints of abdominal pain, was seen entering the bathroom and later leaving the hospital.

The stray dog likely took the body from the bathroom before it was recovered by a security guard, authorities said.

“We conducted the postmortem on Saturday morning, and its report is awaited. A preliminary report has said the delivery was premature. The body has been placed in the mortuary. Police have begun a probe into this incident, and we will provide all the CCTV footage to help them,” Dr Verma said.

Mhow police station in-charge Rahul Sharma said, “The hospital authorities have given the CCTV footage along with details the (teenage) girl furnished at the time of admission.”

Hospital officials conceded that all three hospital gates were open at night, which likely allowed stray dogs to enter, particularly through a gate near the storeroom. Dr Verma said, “There was some negligence on the part of the guard. We have ordered that all gates be locked at night and security personnel be posted at the main entrance to monitor movement and prevent animals from entering.”