Thaindian News

Murshidabad (West Bengal), Nov 3 (IANS) The body of a baby was exhumed Thursday for an autopsy following allegations that it died after its mother was swabbed with acid for pre-delivery cleaning in a government hospital in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district.

“An order for the baby’s post-mortem has been ordered by the higher authorities to ascertain the cause of death. The order came from the health department at the Writers’ Buildings (state secretariat in Kolkata),” Lalbagh sub-divisional hospital superintendent Saswati Nag told IANS.

The body of the baby has been exhumed and sent for autopsy, said the office of the chief medical officer.

A probe was ordered Wednesday after the family members of Shikha Bibi alleged that she was swabbed with an acidic solution instead of a disinfectant and because of this the subsequently born baby died.

Nag, who headed the probe, said the nurse who applied the solution has been suspended.

She claimed the injuries which Bibi suffered after the swabbing were because of “local chemical reaction”, and said only a forensic probe could ascertain the exact reason.

District officials initially claimed no acidic solution was used and the baby probably died as it was underweight and premature.

“As per initial reports, no acidic solution was used. The baby was born premature and was underweight. We are looking into the matter,” said Lalbagh sub-divisional officer Charanjit Ghosh.