Jalandhar: Infant left to die over non-payment of Rs 200

A five-day old newborn died in Jalandhar's civil hospital when doctors took her off life-support, all because the baby girl's parents couldn't pay Rs 200.

The baby was born on July 20 and had to be kept in an incubator. On Wednesday, the hospital told the baby's father, who works as a painter, to pay electricity charges to run the incubator.

When he failed to pay up the sum, the child was taken off the incubator and died soon after. The hospital has refused to take responsibility for the infant's death but has ordered an internal probe.

"The hospital authorities asked us to submit Rs 200 first. We begged them to admit our child but they refused. No one came forward to help us monetarily," the father said.

"I can't believe that child was not treated properly, but proper inquiry will be done to find out if any hospital staff is guilty or not," the hospital SMO said.