A stillbirth at a government hospital in Nagpur has triggered an official inquiry after a woman alleged that a hospital attendant sat on her chest during delivery, raising serious concerns about patient safety and medical practices.
The incident took place at Daga Memorial Government Women Hospital and came to light on April 29, 2026, after the victim’s family filed a complaint.
The woman, Deeplata Banode, 28, a resident of Hingna, was admitted to the hospital at around 11:00 am after she went into labor.
Her husband, Surendra Banode, alleged that she did not receive timely medical attention and remained unattended for several hours despite being in active labour. According to the family, she was shifted to the labor room only after a delay of nearly nine hours, with delivery taking place later in the evening.
The family stated that the pregnancy had been normal and that there had been no prior indication of complications, making the stillbirth unexpected.
According to the woman’s account, a female attendant climbed onto her chest and applied pressure using her knees in an attempt to assist delivery.
She said the attendant’s saree covered her face during the procedure, causing breathing difficulty and panic. The family has alleged that this forceful method directly contributed to the stillbirth.
Hospital authorities have denied any wrongdoing and stated that the baby had already died in the womb before delivery.
Officials said the woman had been in labour for eight to ten hours and lacked sufficient strength to push. According to them, a doctor instructed the attendant to apply pressure to assist the process, but they maintained that this did not cause the stillbirth.
Medical Superintendent Dr. Dilip Madavi said that such an incident could not occur in the hospital, rejecting the allegations.
Following the complaint, authorities constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the incident. The findings will be submitted to Dr. Shashikant Shambharkar, Deputy Director of Health Services.
Local corporator Waseem Khan visited the hospital, described the incident as serious, and called for a fair and transparent investigation. He also demanded strict action against those responsible, compensation for the family, and measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
The family has submitted a written complaint to the police, seeking accountability.