The deaths of two newborns at Maharaja Yashwantrao (MY) Hospital in Indore, allegedly due to rat bites, have drawn severe criticism from the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which has described the tragedy as a shocking failure of public health responsibility. The court has issued a notice to the state government, directing it to submit a detailed status report by September 15.
The infants, who were attacked by rats on the intervening night of August 30–31, suffered injuries on their hands and shoulders. Despite treatment, both succumbed. The case has sparked outrage over the hospital’s hygiene standards and accountability lapses.
A bench of Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice JK Pillai observed that the incident not only violated the fundamental rights of the newborns but also exposed a larger failure in maintaining basic hospital hygiene. The judges noted with concern that despite the gravity of the matter, there had been a delay of more than two weeks without firm action.
At the centre of the controversy is Agile Security, the private agency responsible for cleaning and rodent control at the hospital. While the government has now scrapped its contract, the court pointed out that no strict punitive measures had been taken earlier despite clear negligence.
In the wake of the court’s intervention, several hospital officials have faced disciplinary action. Dr Brijesh Lahoti, head of the Paediatric Surgery Department, has been removed from his post, while Dr Manoj Joshi, the acting head, has been suspended. Meanwhile, the hospital’s superintendent, Dr Ashok Yadav, went on medical leave soon after the incident came to light, raising questions about responsibility and accountability.
Initially, the hospital management denied that rat bites caused the deaths, attributing them instead to congenital complications and underdeveloped organs. However, this version was challenged, and scrutiny of post-mortem reports has further deepened the controversy. Senior officials, including then Collector Ashish Singh and Medical Education Commissioner Tarun Rathi, were reportedly given misleading information by the hospital administration.
The case has also turned political, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi calling it an “outright murder” and blaming both the Centre and the state government for neglecting public healthcare systems.
As the High Court pushes for answers, the tragedy has highlighted alarming gaps in hospital management, hygiene protocols, and government oversight, leaving the state administration struggling to respond to mounting criticism.
