Tribal outfit claims rats bit 4 fingers of newborn girl, accuses Indore hospital of ‘cover-up’

Days after a newborn girl died at the government-run Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital (MYH) in Indore, a tribal outfit on Monday (September 8, 2025) claimed rats had gnawed her four fingers, and accused the medical facility’s administration of lying and misleading everyone.

The Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS), a tribal organisation, has demanded suspension of the hospital superintendent and other senior officials, along with registration of a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

If the demand is not met by Monday (September 8) evening, the tribal community would launch a major agitation, JAYS national president Lokesh Mujalda warned.

Two newborn girls, who had been bitten by rats in the hospital’s ICU, died recently, raising questions about the institution’s functioning.

One of them, daughter of Devram from Dhar district, who was admitted to the hospital with congenital deformities, died after the rat attack, Mr. Mujalda claimed while talking to PTI.

The body was handed over to the family in a plastic bag after the post-mortem on Saturday (September 6) evening, he said.

When the packing was removed before the funeral, the family was devastated and enraged to notice that four fingers on one hand of the baby had allegedly been gnawed by rats, Mr. Mujalda said.

He accused the MYH administration of misleading everyone by initially claiming the baby had only suffered minor injuries to her fingers due to rat bites.

The JAYS leader demanded suspension of the hospital superintendent and senior officials, along with registration of a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

If the demand is not met by Monday (September 8) evening, the tribal community would launch a major agitation, he warned.

Rats bit the two infants, suffering from congenital deformities, on the intervening night of August 31 and September 1 in the hospital’s ICU, officials earlier said. The other affected family is from neighbouring Dewas district.

Amid allegations of gross negligence, the MYH authorities maintained the deaths of both the babies were not linked to rat attacks, but were because of severe pre-existing health complications they suffered due to congenital deformities.

On Saturday (September 6), JAYS functionaries staged a protest at the hospital with the bereaved parents seeking compensation of ₹1 crore each for the families of the two infants as well as registration of a culpable homicide case against senior officials.

“The district administration has assured us the necessary steps will be taken to suspend senior officials of MYH and register an FIR against them. If this demand is not fulfilled within 10 days, another protest will be staged by us at MYH,” Mr. Mujalda had said.

The hospital administration has so far taken disciplinary action against six officials, including suspension and removal from posts, in connection with the deaths.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) last week issued notices to the principal secretary of the Madhya Pradesh’s health department and Indore’s collector over a complaint alleging a newborn died and others were injured due to “rat attacks” inside a hospital.

In its notice, the NHRC has directed authorities that the allegations levelled in the complaint be inquired into, and asked to submit an “action taken report within 10 days” for perusal of the commission.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights also last week issued a notice to the Indore collector over the death of two newborn girls bitten by rats at the hospital.