Newborn declared dead, buried; found alive after one hour

BANIHAL: A newborn girl, who was declared dead at a hospital at Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district soon after her birth on Monday and buried in a graveyard, was found to be alive after her family was forced to dig up the grave nearly an hour later after objections by local residents, officials said.

The miraculous survival of the baby triggered protests by her relatives against the government, prompting the administration to suspend two employees posted at the hospital’s labour room, and order a probe, the officials said.

According to local sarpanch Manzoor Alyas Wani, the baby’s parents, Basharat Ahmad Gujjar and Shameema Begum, residents of Bankoot village in the district, visited the sub-district hospital at Banihal town for the child’s birth, and Shameema had a normal delivery on Monday morning.

Wani alleged the baby was declared dead and was not given medical attention at the hospital for more than two hours, following which the family decided to bury her at a graveyard at Hollan village.

However, locals in the area objected to the baby’s burial in their graveyard and insisted she be buried at the family’s ancestral graveyard, following which the parents were forced to dig the grave nearly an hour after the baby was buried, and Wani said that the infant was found to be alive.

The family rushed the baby to hospital.

“After initial treatment, she was referred to Srinagar for specialised treatment by the doctors,” Wani said.

The incident sparked protests by the family and others inside the hospital complex.

Banihal block medical officer Dr Rabia Khan said an inquiry has been ordered. “We have already placed a junior staff nurse and sweeper working in the gynaecology section under suspension with immediate effect, pending an inquiry,” Khan said.