Dog seen clutching infant’s body at hospital, probe on

In a disturbing incident, a stray dog was seen clutching a dead newborn in its jaws near the toilet of a government hospital in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore district on Saturday before a security guard managed to retrieve the body after shooing away the animal.

Authorities at the civil hospital in Mhow, some 25 km from the district headquarters, and the police have begun a probe into the antecedents of the newborn and the chain of events that followed. “As per CCTV footage, the incident happened between 1.30 am and 2 am. A young girl was seen going into the toilet during this period. When we checked with staff, we found the 17-year-old girl had come here complaining of colic and had been admitted at 9 pm on Friday. We suspect the girl gave birth to a child in the toilet,” Mhow civil hospital incharge Dr HR Verma said.

Dr Verma said the girl disappeared from the hospital soon after with an unidentified man. Other officials said the infant, which in all possibility was stillborn, was then taken away by a dog from the toilet area before a security guard managed to retrieve the body.

“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. The police have begun a probe into this incident and we will provide all CCTV footage to help them,” Dr Verma added.

Meanwhile, sources said the hospital had three entry points, which are kept open at night. Stray dogs enter through a gate situated near the store room, they added. The newborn’s body had been partially eaten by dogs, sources said. Verma admitted the body was mutilated. “I have directed that all gates be kept closed at night...” said Verma.