Dalit woman gives birth on Bhadohi road after hospital denies admission

A 20‑year‑old Dalit woman was forced to deliver her baby on the roadside outside Bhadohi district government hospital after staff turned her away. Rani Vanvasi went into labour on September 29 while she and her relatives were leaving the hospital gate. Her family says the staff refused admission because of her caste. Women with her used saris and a sheet to give her some privacy as she gave birth on the road. A video of the scene spread widely on October 2, sparking public anger. Opposition leaders blamed the state administration for caste‑based neglect. Sunil Singh Yadav “Sajan”, spokesperson for the Samajwadi Party, said the incident showed how untouchability still operates in government services under the current BJP‑led rule. Ajay Kumar Lallu, a senior Congress figure, called the act “cruel and unacceptable”. The hospital’s chief medical officer reported that Vanvasi’s blood‑iron level was about five grams per deciliter, indicating severe anemia. He noted that she had been slated for transfer to a better‑equipped hospital in Mirzapur, but labour began before the move. He arrived at the scene, provided immediate care and confirmed that both mother and infant are now healthy and recovering at the district hospital. He added that staff found partly negligent have been disciplined, while other accusations were dismissed as false.

Context

Caste discrimination continues to surface in public services across parts of India, especially in health care, prompting calls for stricter oversight and enforcement of anti‑discrimination laws.