MP hospital shocker: Dog carries newborn's body in its jaws

In a disturbing incident, a stray dog was seen clutching a dead newborn in its jaws near the toilet of a government hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Indore district on Saturday before a security guard managed to retrieve the body after shooing away the animal.

Authorities at the civil hospital in Mhow, some 25 kilometres from the district headquarters, and police have begun a probe into the antecedents of the newborn and the chain of events that followed.

"As per CCTV footage, the incident happened between 1:30 and 2am. A young girl was seen going into the toilet during this period. When we checked with staff, we found the 17-year-old girl had come here complaining of colic and had been admitted at 9pm on Friday. We suspect the girl gave birth to a child in the toilet," Mhow civil hospital in charge Dr HR Verma told PTI.

Verma said the girl disappeared from the hospital soon after with an unidentified man.

Other officials said the infant, which in all possibility was stillborn, was then taken away by a dog from the toilet area before a security guard managed to retrieve the body.

"We conducted post mortem on Saturday morning and its report is awaited. A preliminary report has said the delivery was premature. The body has been placed in the mortuary. Police have begun a probe into this incident and we will provide all CCTV footage to help them," Dr Verma added.

The hospital had three entry points, which are kept open at night. Stray dogs enter through a gate situated near the store room, sources said.

The newborn's body had been partially eaten by dogs, they said.

Verma admitted the body was mutilated.

"I have directed that all gates be kept closed at night, while a security guard will stand near the main gate to keep an eye on people and shoo away the dogs," Verma added.

Mhow police station in-charge Rahul Sharma said a probe has been launched into the case.

"The hospital authorities have given the CCTV footage along with details the girl furnished at the time of admission," he said.

The incident occurred four days after a pack of stray dogs killed a four-year-old boy on Suwasra-Runija road in MP's Mandsaur district.