Authorities at Medinirai Medical College and Hospital in Daltonganj have ordered an inquiry after a stray dog was allegedly seen carrying what appeared to be the remains of a newborn on the hospital campus on Tuesday morning, prompting a review of surveillance and security arrangements.
Hospital officials said the dog was spotted between 9.30am and 9.45am by visitors and attendants. The animal was seen carrying the remains in its mouth before it disappeared from the area, according to the report. Hospital teams were subsequently asked to trace the dog and check whether any remains were still present on the campus.
MMCH medical superintendent Dr Ajay Kumar confirmed the incident and instructed staff in the labour room, paediatric ward and other departments to remain vigilant. The hospital has ordered an inquiry to establish how the remains may have reached the campus and whether any lapse occurred in the handling or transfer of a deceased newborn.
Hospital authorities said no newborn deaths had been reported in the labour room or delivery ward since October 25. They said two newborns who died in the Special Newborn Care Unit on October 25 had been handed over to their families, who later performed the last rites.
Mahender, who is in charge of the police outpost at MMCH, said police had spoken to the families of both deceased infants. “Both families confirmed that they had taken the bodies home and buried them as per tradition,” he said, according to the report. The statement forms part of the hospital and police effort to determine whether the remains seen on the campus could be linked to either of the two deaths.
The incident also brought district-level attention to the hospital. Palamu deputy commissioner Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat and Superintendent of Police Kapil Chaudhary visited MMCH and directed officials to strengthen surveillance and security across the campus.
Hospital officials acknowledged that the sprawling campus has multiple entry and exit points, leaving it vulnerable to the movement of stray animals. The issue is therefore not limited to the reported sighting: it has also exposed a basic access-control challenge at a large public healthcare facility, where patients, attendants, staff and animals can move through the same open spaces.
The inquiry will determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. In the meantime, hospital teams have been asked to maintain vigilance in the labour room, paediatric ward and other departments, while officials work on tighter surveillance and security measures across the campus.
