Shimla, India: Authorities at the Atal Institute of Medical Super Speciality (AIMSS), Chamiana, Shimla, have initiated an inquiry and issued show-cause notices to sanitation staff after a stray dog was seen carrying an amputated human limb outside the hospital premises. The incident raised concerns about biomedical waste management and infection control compliance.
The incident occurred on February 22, 2026, near the biomedical waste storage area of the hospital. Witnesses reported seeing a stray dog carrying a human limb in its mouth on the hospital campus. A video of the incident circulated widely on social media, drawing attention from hospital authorities and the public.
Security personnel and hospital staff attempted to retrieve the limb, but the dog ran away and initially resisted attempts to recover it. Hospital staff later recovered the amputated limb after tracing it from the stray dog. The presence of exposed biomedical waste in a public-accessible area raised immediate concerns regarding patient safety, infection control, and biomedical waste management compliance.
Hospital officials confirmed that surgeons had performed an above-knee amputation on a patient on February 19, 2026, in the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery department. Following standard procedure, staff placed the amputated limb in a designated yellow biomedical waste bag and transferred it to the hospital’s biomedical waste storage facility. The amputated limb was packed in a biomedical waste bag and stored in the hospital’s biomedical waste complex for disposal by the authorized biomedical waste disposal agency, Enviro Engineers.
Hospitals classify amputated human limbs as anatomical biomedical waste. Regulations require secure storage and disposal through authorized biomedical waste treatment facilities.
However, the hospital’s internal inquiry found that sanitation staff had improperly handled access to the biomedical waste storage area. Officials determined that sanitation workers left the storage room door open during waste transfer operations on February 21, which allowed a stray animal to enter and remove the limb. Investigators also found an empty biomedical waste bag outside the storage area, confirming that the dog accessed the waste storage complex.
See also: Stray Dog Seen Carrying Infant's Body Inside Madhya Pradesh Hospital Premises
The hospital administration responded by forming a fact-finding committee that included the Medical Superintendent, Nursing Superintendent, Biomedical Waste Management Nodal Officer, and hospital matron. The committee conducted a preliminary investigation and submitted its findings to hospital authorities.
The hospital issued show-cause notices to the sanitation supervisor and sanitation workers responsible for biomedical waste handling. Authorities also instructed the sanitation contractor to ensure strict compliance with biomedical waste management protocols. Hospital authorities stated that they would take appropriate disciplinary action depending on the explanation provided by the staff involved.
Biomedical waste includes human anatomical waste, tissues, organs, and other materials contaminated with body fluids. Healthcare facilities must manage this waste under strict infection control protocols to prevent disease transmission, environmental contamination, and public exposure.
Under India’s Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016, healthcare facilities must:
Segregate anatomical waste in designated containers
Store waste securely in restricted areas
Prevent unauthorized access by animals or the public
Ensure timely transfer to authorized biomedical waste treatment facilities
Improper biomedical waste handling can expose healthcare workers, sanitation staff, patients, and the public to potentially infectious material. Strict waste segregation, storage, and disposal protocols are essential components of hospital infection prevention systems.
Improper storage or handling of biomedical waste can increase the risk of infection transmission and environmental contamination. Exposed anatomical waste can also pose occupational hazards to healthcare workers and sanitation personnel.
See also: Why Biomedical Waste Management Certification Is Mandatory for Healthcare Professionals
Following the incident, hospital officials directed sanitation staff and contractors to strengthen monitoring of biomedical waste storage areas and ensure doors remain secured at all times. Authorities also emphasized the importance of timely waste disposal and strict compliance with biomedical waste regulations.
Hospital officials stated that the inquiry aims to identify procedural lapses and implement corrective measures to prevent recurrence of similar incidents.
1. Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2016. Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016. https://www.iwma.in/BMW%20Rules%2C%202016.pdf
(Rh/MSM)