Police have begun an investigation after a dead fetus, estimated to be about four months old, was found in a waste bin near the entrance of Kashiba Government Hospital close to Vatva village in Ahmedabad on October 23, according to a report by Gujarat Samachar – Ahmedabad. The Vatva police registered a case against an unidentified person after reaching the hospital and completing preliminary legal procedures.
The remains were reportedly noticed by 42-year-old Hina Patel, a woman security guard employed at the hospital. Patel, who lives with her family in the Vatva area, arrived for her regular duty at around 7 am, the report said. While leaving the hospital entrance to collect tea after a sanitation worker asked her to do so, she noticed a blue waste bin placed near the gate.
Patel reportedly became suspicious and looked inside the bin, where she found the remains. She immediately informed hospital authorities and dialled the emergency response number 112. The hospital then alerted the police control room, following which a Vatva police team reached the premises.
The police took custody of the remains and carried out a panchnama, or spot documentation procedure, as part of the initial action. The report said the police registered an offence against an unknown person and started further investigation. The supplied report does not identify how the remains reached the bin or whether they were connected to any procedure conducted at the hospital.
The incident places attention on the handling of fetal remains and waste within a hospital environment, although the available report does not establish whether hospital personnel were involved. It also does not state whether the remains were medically examined, whether CCTV footage was collected or whether any person had been identified in connection with the case.
The investigation remains with the Vatva police, which will determine the circumstances surrounding the discovery and establish the identity of the person responsible, according to the report. Further details will depend on the police investigation and the legal procedures involving the recovered remains.
