In a shocking incident, a tribal family in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, was forced to board a bus with their newborn baby's body in a bag because a government hospital allegedly refused to provide them with a hearse.
The family claimed that they were unable to afford any other mode of transportation, so they had to wait nearly five hours at the bus stop with the bag in father's lap.
However, despite doctors' requests not to, a representative of the state health department stated that the infant boy was still alive when his parents took him out of the hospital.
Sunil Dhurve, who lives in Sahajpuri village in the Dindori district of the state, claimed that Jamni Bai, his wife, gave birth to a baby boy on June 13 in a government hospital.
Because the child was weak, the case was referred to a government medical facility in Jabalpur.
"The baby was admitted to the government-run Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College Hospital in Jabalpur, where he died during treatment on June 15. The hospital, however, did not provide a mortuary vehicle to carry the body to my native place. Due to financial constraints, I had to travel by bus carrying the body in a bag," he said.
State Health Department Joint Director Dr. Sanjay Mishra told PTI that the baby boy was alive when he was discharged from the government hospital in Jabalpur.
He said the baby was brought to the Jabalpur hospital from a Dindori district medical facility.
The infant was admitted, and his treatment began.
"The newborn baby was admitted and his treatment was started. But his parents made a request to the hospital to discharge their child although the doctors asked them not to do so as the condition of the baby was serious," Mishra said.
When asked if the government hospital had any mortuary vehicles to transport the deceased, he said none were available.
Dindori is about 140 kilometers from Jabalpur.
Also Read | Madhya Pradesh: Police lathi-charge Bajrang Dal workers in Indore, 11 arrested over protest | DETAILS
Also Read | Madhya Pradesh: Three killed, 7 injured as bus collides with dumper in Dev Puri Baba area
