Police register FIR, form SIT to probe newborn’s death
TANWAR YATRA JAM Prematureborn baby had died on Tuesday after being allegedly stuck in a traffic jam caused by vehicles taking part in Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar’s cycle yatra in Sonepat
ROHTAK/CHANDIGARH: The Sonepat police on Thursday registered an FIR in connection with the death of a newborn who was allegedly stuck in a traffic jam caused by a large number of vehicles taking part in Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar’s cycle yatra on Tuesday.
The action was taken after chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar ordered a probe into the matter on the plea of the bereaved parents and taking cognisance of media reports.
Sonepat SP Pratiksha Godara confirmed that the FIR was registered under Section 304 A (causing death by negligence) of IPC and section 177 of Motor Vehicles Act, but she clarified that it was not against Tanwar.
“The case has been registered against unknown based on the infant’s father’s complaint. He did not name anyone in particular and only mentioned that the ambulance carrying his child was stuck in traffic jam due to some political rally. We have constituted a special investigation team (SIT) under an Asprank officer to investigate the matter further,” she said.
Haryana health minister Anil Vij said he had also ordered a probe in the matter. “I have also ordered director general (DG), health services, to conduct an inquiry and submit a report. We will take strict action,” he said. HHRC SEEKS REPORT Taking cognisance of the news reports regarding the newborn’s death, the Haryana Human Rights Commission has sought reports from deputy commissioner, superintendent of police and chief medical officer, Sonepat, within four weeks.
HHRC chairperson justice (retd) S K Mittal said the development related to serious violation of human rights of citizens.
DEAD BABY’ MOTHER HOSPITALISED
Meanwhile, the mother of the dead baby was hospitalised on Thursday because she had stopped eating and drinking anything after the newborn’s death.
Sweety of Rasoi village in Sonepat was first taken to a community health centre (CHC), which then referred her to civil hospital.
The doctors said she had not eaten anything due to trauma after losing her child.
TANWAR BLAMES HOSPITAL
Meanwhile, Tanwar put the entire blame for the newborn’s death on ‘poor state hospitals’. He also slammed the rival political parties for playing politics over the incident.
“Everyone knows it was a premature baby. He was delivered in a private hospital in Sonepat, which referred him to civil hospital, which again referred him to PGIMS in Rohtak. He had breathing problems, but the ambulance shifting him did not have oxygen supply or medical staff. I feel the government and the health department is trying to divert the attention from their negligence by blaming me,” Tanwar said.
The baby, born after sevenmonth pregnancy, had died on Tuesday. The ambulance shifting him from private hospital to Sonepat civil hospital was stuck in traffic jam due to Tanwar’s cycle yatra, leading to delay in treatment.
“I feel sad that he could not be saved. But the videos that are being circulated by some sections having vested interests also show that our volunteers were helping the ambulance find way from the traffic jam,” he added.
“The private hospital kept the baby for 12 hours after delivery before referring it to civil hospital. When he reached civil hospital, even doctors there said that there was nothing left in the baby now,” Tanwar said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the newborn’s father, Jeetender Kumar, had told the media that they were stuck for 45 minutes in traffic jam due to Tanwar’s rally. “If there was no jam, we had hoped we would have had reached in time to hospital to save our son,” the father had said.
However, Tanwar on Thursday posted another video on Facebook in which one of the family members of the baby is blaming the hospital for negligence.
Posting the video, Tanwar even slammed the media for not showing the right facts.
“The family itself blames hospital and doctors. Don’t know why some people are making it political issue. It is my fourth cycle yatra. We try not to cause inconvenience to even common people, not just ambulance,” he said, asking Haryana health minister Anil Vij to check on his health department.