UP: Newborn dies after midwife chops off extra fingers

A newborn died at a Community Health Centre (CHC) in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi district, about 125 kilometres from here, allegedly after a midwife chopped off two extra fingers from each of his hands.

According to the reports, the midwife bandaged the hands of the newborn and the mother was allowed to go home with the former. The newborn, however, died even before the mother could leave the hospital allegedly owing to excessive bleeding.

Reports said that Luxmi Devi, a resident of Kaharka village in the district, had given birth to a male child at the CHC late on Sunday night. The newborn had an extra finger in both of his hands.

One of the midwives, without consulting the doctor, allegedly chopped off the extra fingers. ''She did not inform us also,'' Luxmi's husband Ravindra Kumar said.

Ravindra said that the midwife tried to stop the bleeding but did not succeed. ''She bandaged the hands and asked us to go home though the child was still bleeding,'' he said.

Ravindra said that he was preparing to take the newborn to some other hospital but he died before they could leave the CHC.

Reports said that no doctor was available at the CHC, when the incident occurred. The CHC in-charge Dr Vineet Tewari said that he would get the matter investigated thoroughly and punish the guilty. ''A probe will be conducted in the matter... we will ensure that the guilty are sternly dealt with,'' he said.

A complaint in this connection was lodged with the police against the midwife, identified as Vidya Devi, reports said.