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Mumbai News: Nurse Suspended For Taping Newborn’s Mouth Shut At Bhandup Maternity Home

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In a disturbing incident at the Savitribai Phule Maternity Home, run under a public-private partnership program and located on LBS Marg in Bhandup (W), a nurse placed adhesive tape on the mouth of a three-day-old male infant who was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, in an attempt to silence his crying. This reckless action posed a significant risk to the child’s life. Following this incident, the nurse has been suspended by the health department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and an investigation has been initiated.

Persistent complaints against staff

Allegedly, there have been persistent complaints regarding negligence and impolite behavior by this nurse and others at the hospital, but the hospital administration has failed to take appropriate measures. Rakesh Shetty, the working president of the Congress Seva Dal, has called for the nurse in question to face criminal charges. He stated, “I will be leading a delegation to the Bhandup police on Saturday to demand the most severe action against this nurse.”

Last week, Priya Kamble, a resident of Bhandup, was admitted to the maternity home where she delivered her baby. However, due to the baby’s jaundice condition, he was transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). On the night of June 2, when Kamble went to breastfeed her child, she noticed that his mouth was taped shut, but she was unaware of the reason behind it. Despite her request to remove the tape and allow her to feed the baby, the nurse on duty refused and instructed her to return the next morning at eight o’clock. Kamble informed the nurse that the doctor had instructed her to feed the child every two hours. Frustratingly, when she revisited the NICU at 1 am, she discovered that the tape was still intact, as she shared with on Friday.

Nurse said she taped baby because he was crying

Regarding the incident, Kamble recounted her confrontation with the nurse, stating, “When I asked the nurse why she had taped my baby’s mouth, she replied that it was because the baby was crying. I was shocked to hear that. However, since my own son was admitted there, I didn’t want to escalate the argument.” She further observed, “I noticed that there were 2-3 more babies in the unit whose mouths were also taped.”

Concerned and seeking assistance, Kamble reached out to her family, who then sought the help of Jagruti Patil, an ex-corporator, to address the issue. Patil had the tapes removed from the mouths of the affected infants.

Patil launches complaint with hospital administration

Kamble stated that Patil lodged a complaint with the hospital administration regarding the nurse’s cruel behavior, which endangered the lives of newborns. Disturbed by the situation, Kamble decided to have her own child discharged from the maternity home and admitted to a hospital in Thane.

“We discovered that there had been numerous complaints filed against the nurses, as they were neglecting their duties by not changing clothes and diapers of the babies. Additionally, the nurses were not feeding the babies on time,” Kamble added, highlighting the broader issues with the nursing staff at the hospital.

Dr Daksha Shah, Deputy Executive Health officer of the hospital, was unavailable for a comment.

Nurse suspended

A senior officer from the hospital confirmed that they have taken decisive action against the nurse responsible by suspending her. The hospital administration has also requested an explanation regarding her actions towards the newborns. It is important to note that this maternity home operates under a public-private partnership, and the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) is not directly involved in its management. Nonetheless, the hospital has taken stringent measures against the nurses involved.

The senior officer stated, “We have received complaints about nurses not fulfilling their duties properly, and we will be taking strict action against those found at fault.”

Patil writes letter to Assistant Commissioner of S Ward

In response to the distressing situation at the maternity hospital, former BJP corporator Jagruti Patil took action by writing a letter to the Assistant Commissioner of S Ward. In the letter, Patil highlighted the frequent complaints they had received from women regarding mistreatment by nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) department of the Savitribai Phule Maternity Hospital. The letter also mentioned concerns about improper handling of newborns.

Patil’s letter specifically addressed the alarming practice of applying an adhesive bandage to the mouth of a crying newborn. The letter emphasized the occurrence of disturbing incidents within the NICU, suggesting that there are serious issues affecting the quality of care provided.

“Extreme negligence is done while taking mother’s milk in a bowl and giving it to children. Also the complainant is a woman in the maternity ward. Nurses in NICU are found to lack proper experience. Nurses do not change diapers of newborns. Such and many other complaints have come about NICU. However, I humbly request you to order an immediate inquiry keeping in mind the seriousness of all the above matters,” she said in a letter.

Crime

Woman drug supplier arrested in Delhi’s Mangolpuri; ganja seized

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New Delhi, May 31: A woman drug supplier was arrested from Delhi’s Mangolpuri area and 427 grams of ganja was recovered from her possession, police said on Saturday.

The accused was identified as ‘M’. The arrest comes amid the Delhi Police’s ongoing crackdown on narcotics under its ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy and the broader objectives of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA).

Acting on a tip-off received by Constable Bajrang of Police Station Mangolpuri that a female was allegedly in possession of ganja, a raid was conducted at the specified location.

Constable Bajrang and a female staff member observed a suspicious female carrying a white polythene bag.

“On noticing the presence of police personnel, the suspect attempted to hide. However, the alert police team, with the assistance of a female staff namely W/HC Pooja, swiftly apprehended her,” said Sachin Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Outer District, New Delhi.

A polythene bag containing 427 grams of ‘ganja’ and Rs 1,470 in cash was recovered from the possession of the accused.

The accused was booked under Section 20(A) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 at Police Station Mangolpuri.

Further investigation is underway to identify and apprehend other associates involved in the illegal drug trade, the police said.

In another case on May 29, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of the Delhi Police Crime Branch arrested Jameel Ahmad, the alleged mastermind of a major drug trafficking syndicate. Ahmed has been absconding for six years.

The case dates back to June 2019, when the then Narcotics Cell (now ANTF) of the Crime Branch seized 500 kg of ganja from a truck at Metcalfe Bus Stand, Kashmere Gate.

Three persons — Aslam Khan and Mausam Khan, both from Nuh district in Haryana, and Jakam Khan from Alwar, Rajasthan — were arrested in connection with the consignment, who revealed that they had committed the crime at the behest of Ahmed.

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Crime

Delhi Police bust interstate auto theft syndicate, recover eight high end cars

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New Delhi, May 30: The Delhi Police Crime Branch has busted an interstate syndicate involved in the theft and resale of high-end vehicles, a statement said on Friday.

The gang used a sophisticated modus operandi to sell stolen cars through online platforms by forging documents, opening bank accounts with fake identities, and tampering with engine and chassis numbers.

In a series of coordinated operations, the police arrested a key member of the gang and recovered eight luxury vehicles.

According to Delhi Police, the breakthrough came with the arrest of Rakesh Patel alias Pappu (38), a core operative of the syndicate, near Sahibabad Railway Station in Ghaziabad on April 21, 2025.

Acting on a tip-off, police apprehended him while he was attempting to sell a stolen Maruti Wagon-R via an online platform.

Patel, a resident of Sahibabad, Ghaziabad (UP), and originally from Mohiuddin Nagar, Samastipur (Bihar), played a central role in managing theft operations and delivering stolen vehicles across states.

His associates arranged vehicles, counterfeit documents, and fake number plates.

The gang’s method was notably elaborate. After stealing a car, they searched online car-selling portals for vehicles of the same make, model, and colour.

Using open-source information, they identified details of genuine owners and forged documents in the owner’s name — featuring the photograph of one of the accused. They also opened bank accounts using these fake identities.

To avoid detection, the syndicate would tamper with the stolen car’s engine and chassis numbers to match those of the legitimate vehicle. Fake Registration Certificates (RCs) were then prepared, making the stolen car appear genuine. Once the vehicle was thus ‘cloned,’ it was listed for sale on online platforms.

The syndicate targeted high-demand vehicles, often choosing cars parked in low-surveillance or roadside areas. The police noted the gang’s use of advanced technological tools to support their operations.

A team led by Inspector Arun Sindhu of the Crime Branch spearheaded the investigation, which led to the arrest and recovery of the stolen vehicles.

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Crime

Five killed in blast at illegal firecracker factory in Punjab’s Muktsar

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Chandigarh, May 30: At least five people were killed and 34 injured on Friday in a blast at a double-storey illegal firecracker factory located on the outskirts of a village in Punjab’s Muktsar district, police said.

Most of the victims were migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The factory, owned by Tarsem Singh, who is associated with the state-ruled AAP, in Singhwala village, was reduced to rubble owing to the intensity of the blast, trapping many under debris.

According to the police, the blast occurred at midnight. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals, including All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, and most of them were stated to be out of danger.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Muktsar Sahib, Akhil Chaudhary, said the blast occurred in one of the rooms in the manufacturing setup of the unit, which led to the collapse of the roof.

Many people got trapped under the debris, and rescue operations were launched immediately after the police received information about the incident.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Jaspal Singh said five bodies had been recovered from the debris, and 29 injured individuals were rushed to AIIMS Bathinda and hospitals in Muktsar.

Rescue teams were still on the scene, working to clear the rubble and search for survivors, if any.

The exact cause of the blast is being worked out, but initial investigation suggests that the blast occurred from potash used in manufacturing crackers.

Muktsar Deputy Commissioner Abhijit Kaplish told the media that no permission was granted to the manufacturing unit under the Explosives Rules of 2008.

“An application was made by the owners, but reports from different departments were pending, so no permission was granted,” he clarified.

Scattered shoes, broken glass panes and vehicles were seen all over the accident spot, as rescuers were sifting through the rubble in search of survivors.

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal has demanded a probe into the incident and urged the government to promptly release adequate compensation to the victims’ families.

Describing the incident as unfortunate, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Khudian said the factory owner is a supporter of the AAP, but that does not permit anyone to engage in illegal activity.

“The law will take its own course,” he added.

In 2020, a total of 23 people were killed and 27 were injured in the explosion in an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in Punjab’s Batala town. It was manufacturing and storing crackers for a ‘nagar kirtan’ — a religious procession relating to the birth anniversary celebrations of Sikhism’s founder, Guru Nanak Dev.

A similar blast occurred in Batala in January 2017, leaving one person dead and three injured.

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