Negligence Kills 12 Infants in India

Twelve infants died in one day inside a hospital in the Indian state of Maharashtra, sparking a political uproar on Tuesday as opposition politicians accused the state government and medical authorities of negligence. Hospital officials and local media reported that the infants died on Sunday and were among 24 deaths recorded that day at the Shankarao Chavan Government Hospital in the Nanded district, located 600 kilometers from Mumbai, India's commercial capital. The hospital director, Shyamrao Wakudi, did not respond to requests for comment on the opposition's negligence accusations, stating briefly in a phone call that he was too busy as a government minister was visiting the hospital. Earlier on Tuesday, Wakudi told the ANI news agency that 12 adult patients died due to chronic illnesses, including diabetes, liver failure, and kidney failure. On Tuesday, the Maharashtra state government announced that it has launched an investigation into the deaths of the infants and other patients. Opposition politicians accused the Maharashtra government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party and an allied party, of gross negligence regarding the infant deaths.