Kerala: Dalit woman gives birth in govt hospital toilet, kin allege negligence

Manjeri: A Dalit woman gave birth inside a toilet of a government hospital here following which the Kerala Health Minister sought a report regarding the incident from authorities on Saturday.

The incident took place at the Manjeri Medical college hospital yesterday.

Hospital sources said the woman’s delivery was due on January 13. But following some complaints, she was admitted yesterday and the doctors had also examined her.

She had not developed labour pains, the sources said.

The woman delivered the child when she went to the toilet, they said.

The woman’s relatives alleged that it was due to sheer negligence of hospital authorities that the woman had given birth in the toilet.

A relative said both the mother and child were safe. The woman’s relatives have complained to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Health Minister K K Shylaja.

Shylaja said she has sought a report on the incident from hospital authorities. If there was any lapse, action will be taken against those responsible, she said.