Girls' Hostel Superintendent Suspended After 17-Year-Old Gives Birth, Probe Ordered

The girl dumped the newborn behind a toilet after delivering her on Monday.

Korba: The Superintendent of a girls' hostel in Korba was suspended after a 17-year-old inmate gave birth to a newborn at the facility.

Korba collector Ajit Vasant suspended the superintendent of the hostel Jai Kumar Ratre and directed the Women and Child Development and the Health Departments of Chhattisgarh to probe the matter. He said further action will be taken after the probe report is received. As per reports, the girl gave birth on Monday and dumped the newborn behind a toilet in the hostel. The girl allegedly dumped the newborn to conceal the birth.

Hostel superintendent's statement

Ratre said the girl complained of diarrhoea at around 8 am on Monday. The girl said she was in menopause and was asked to go to the hospital. Meanwhile, hostel staff heard the sound of a baby crying on the premises. They searched and found the newborn behind a toilet on the hostel premises. After the girl was taken to the hospital, it was known that she had given birth to the newborn. After the matter came to light, the Women and Child Development and the Health Department were directed to conduct a probe. Along with this, the hostel superintendent wasn suspended for negligence, said the Collector.

The condition of newborn is still critical

The newborn girl is being treated at the Government Medical College and Hospital. She has been kept on oxygen support in the SNCU ward and her condition is stated to be critical. The girl was thrown out of a window and there are some injury marks on her body, said reports.

Dr Rakesh Verma, Pediatrician of Government Medical College and Hospital Korba, said, "On Tuesday morning, a newborn was referred from the government hospital. "We are treating the newborn who has been admitted to the critical neonatal care ward. There are injury marks on her left lung. The girl's condition is critical," he said.

The incident has raised questions on the hostel and the administration. Korba being a tribal district, most of the children in the hostel come from tribal areas. As per rules, the health of the children residing in the hostel should be tested at regular intervals. The superintendent should reside in the hostel itself and it is prohibited for any outsider to visit the hostel.