UP: 9 medical college staff booked after newborn goes missing from ward in Kushinagar

KUSHINAGAR: A newborn went missing from the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of the government medical college in Kushinagar, prompting police to register a case against nine staff members, including the college principal and the Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS), officials said on Thursday.

Reena, a resident of Mania Chappar Tola in Balkudia village under the Nebua Naurangiya police station area, delivered a baby boy on Tuesday at the medical college. Around 6.45 pm, a staff nurse shifted the newborn to the SNCU ward citing breathing difficulties.

The infant has been missing since then, officials said. Acting on a complaint filed by the infant's father, Pradeep Chaudhary, the police on late Wednesday night registered an FIR against Medical College Principal Dr RK Shahi, CMS Dr Dilip Kumar, duty in-charge Dr Ritesh Singh, nurses Indu Singh, Sneha Maurya, Julie, Urmila, Anarkali and guard Dharmendra Singh.

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Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Siddharth Verma reached the medical college along with Padrauna Circle Officer and questioned the staff on duty. Preliminary findings indicated negligence on the part of the medical college administration.

Staff nurses suspected a possible baby mix-up, but the investigation found no evidence supporting this claim. Police also noted that all CCTV cameras installed in the medical college were non-functional, complicating the probe.

Superintendent of Police Keshav Kumar said that a case has been registered and an investigation is underway. Principal Dr Shahi said the administration has formed a three-member inquiry committee, and efforts are being made to retrieve CCTV footage and ascertain the lapses. PTI CORR ABN MPL MPL