Bhopal News: Charred Newborns’ Bodies At Hamidia Hospital; FSL Collects Samples, CCTV Footage Yields No Clues

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): An FSL team on Thursday inspected the spot behind the mortuary at Hamidia Hospital where the partially charred bodies of two newborns were recovered early Wednesday morning. The team collected samples of burnt plastic, clothing and ashes for further examination.

Officials said the possibility of inflammable material being used to start the fire in the garbage dump has not been ruled out.

Police said CCTV footage from the mortuary zone is unclear and of poor quality, making it difficult to identify those who dumped the newborns’ bodies into the water tank, which is currently being used as a garbage dump. Koh-e-Fiza police station in-charge KG Shukla said the hospital administration has been asked to provide DVRs of other CCTV cameras on the premises.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the shocking recovery of the charred bodies, Hamidia Hospital administration has tightened security inside the campus. On Thursday, the area behind the mortuary was cordoned off and guards were deployed at the mortuary gate to prevent unauthorised entry.

Police suspect the culprits may have intentionally set the fire to destroy the bodies and eliminate evidence. The flames reportedly grew intense, prompting someone to alert the fire department. The bodies, wrapped in plastic, were recovered once the fire was doused.

According to police, only hospital staff have access to the route behind the mortuary where the tank is located. No outsider normally goes there and entry from outside is nearly impossible. This has strengthened the suspicion that an insider,possibly a hospital staffer,may be involved in the gruesome act.

A five-doctor panel conducted autopsies on Thursday. One of the infants had sustained nearly 90% burns.