Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Newborn Dies At Lakhimpur Kheri Private Hospital, Father Protests Carrying Body To DM Office; VIDEO

A private hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri was sealed after a newborn died during delivery, prompting the distraught father to carry the baby’s body in a bag to the District Magistrate’s office in protest. The incident has once again raised serious questions about unethical practices and alleged profiteering by private hospitals in the state.

BISWAJEET BANERJEE Updated: Saturday, August 23, 2025, 08:16 PM IST
District administration seals Goldar Hospital in Lakhimpur Kheri after newborn dies; father protests at DM office. | X

District administration seals Goldar Hospital in Lakhimpur Kheri after newborn dies; father protests at DM office. | X

Lakhimpur Kheri: A private hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri was sealed after a newborn died during delivery, prompting the distraught father to carry the baby’s body in a bag to the District Magistrate’s office in protest. The incident has once again raised serious questions about unethical practices and alleged profiteering by private hospitals in the state.

Hospital Allegedly Demanded Repeated Payments During Labour

The grieving father, Vipin Gupta, said his wife was admitted to Goldar Hospital where doctors initially quoted Rs 10,000 for a normal delivery and Rs 12,000 for a caesarean. However, as her labour pains intensified, the charges were allegedly increased repeatedly, and doctors refused to proceed until payment was made in advance.

Delay Proves Fatal

“I managed to arrange some money by 2:30 am and even told them if they were not capable of handling the delivery, I would take my wife elsewhere. But they kept raising the charges and firmly said they would not operate until I paid the full amount,” Gupta said.

According to him, the delay proved fatal. “My baby died. After that, they threw my wife out on the road. I went to another surgeon for help. Later, I carried my child’s body in a bag to the DM office because I wanted authorities to see what these hospitals are doing to poor people,” he added.

District Administration Takes Action

The District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri, Mahendra Bahadur Singh, said strict action had been taken. “Goldar Hospital has been sealed. Admitted patients are being shifted to the District Women’s Hospital. On my instructions, ADM A.K. Rastogi also visited Srijan Hospital to check on the mother’s condition and ensure better treatment. The administration stands with the affected family,” Singh said in a statement posted on X.

Allegations Highlight Larger Issues in Private Healthcare

The case has drawn attention to a larger problem of private hospitals in Uttar Pradesh facing accusations of negligence, overcharging, and profiteering during emergencies.

Similar Tragedies Reported by Residents

Madhukar Saxena, a resident of Lucknow, said his family had gone through a similar ordeal last year when his father died allegedly due to mistreatment at a private hospital. “My father was admitted for a minor chest infection, but within two days the doctors started insisting on costly procedures. They kept changing medicines and eventually put him on a ventilator without clear justification. By the time we realised what was happening, it was too late. He passed away and we were left with a bill of over Rs 8 lakh,” Saxena said.

He added, “Private hospitals in the state often exploit patients when they are most vulnerable. The government should not just seal one hospital after a tragedy but put in place strict monitoring so that no family has to go through this kind of pain.”

Health activists have also pointed out that the lack of affordable and well-equipped government facilities is forcing families to turn to private hospitals, where they often face inflated costs and, in some cases, alleged medical negligence.

Family Demands Justice

For Vipin Gupta, the tragedy is personal and irreversible. “I lost my child because the hospital cared more about money than about saving a life,” he said, demanding that those responsible be punished so that no other family suffers the same fate.

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Inquiry Underway

The district administration has assured that an inquiry is underway, and action will be taken against the hospital management if charges of negligence and extortion are proven.

Published on: Saturday, August 23, 2025, 08:16 PM IST

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