INVESTIGATION: Baby mauled by cat at Hyderabad hospital, parents claim

Hyderabad, Dec 12 (IANS) Police in the Andhra Pradesh capital are investigating allegations by parents of a new-born boy that three of his fingers were gnawed off by a cat at a state-run maternity hospital. The hospital authorities have rubbished the claim.

A couple hailing from Mahabubnagar district lodged a complaint with the police, alleging negligence on part of the doctors and the staff at the maternity hospital.

Police said they were looking into the complaint and have not yet registered a case.

The State Human Rights Commission has also ordered a probe into the incident, which took place at the hospital at Petla Burj in the old city.

Y. Mamata and her husband Y. Veresh said their child, born Nov 18, was handed over to them Tuesday and they noticed injuries on the baby’s body. His hands were also wrapped in bandages on opening which the parents found three fingers missing. The baby also had scratches on his face and limbs.

The doctors at the hospital have rubbished the claims by the parents. They said the baby was suffering from Amniotic Band syndrome, a congenital disorder caused by entrapment of fetal parts in fibrous amniotic bands while in uterus.

One in every 1,500 children suffer from this syndrome and in most of the cases, the children are born with hand and finger anomalies, they pointed out.

However, the parents said they were never informed about the congenital disorder before or after delivery.

According to them, the baby was kept in an incubator all these days. They also disputed the hospital’s claim that the mother was regularly feeding the child but never complained about the injuries.

The baby is now undergoing treatment at another hospital, where the police with the help of forensic experts are trying to ascertain the nature and cause of injuries.