NEW DELHI – Outrage spread across Bihar after a 10-year-old girl who survived a sexual assault died, reportedly after waiting hours for medical care. The child passed away at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Sunday morning.
Her uncle claims she spent nearly four hours in an ambulance on Saturday before being allowed inside the hospital, which he believes worsened her condition. However, hospital officials say there was no delay and insist the allegations are unfounded.
The case has been widely reported, sparking criticism of Bihar’s coalition government led by the BJP and JD(U). Opposition parties accuse the authorities of mismanagement, but government leaders reject any claims of neglect.
The girl belonged to the Dalit community, a group that still faces major discrimination in India, despite legal safeguards.
Following public anger, both the National Human Rights Commission and the National Commission for Women have called for an inquiry into how the hospital handled the situation. Indian law protects the identity of rape victims, so she cannot be named.
Indian Police Still Investigating
The attack happened on 26 May, reportedly by a neighbour of her aunt in Muzaffarpur. Police have made an arrest and are continuing their investigation.
Relatives say she disappeared while playing outside and was discovered later, badly injured, by the road. Police described several stab wounds on her body. She was taken to a local clinic, then transferred to Sri Krishna Medical College and Hospital (SKMCH), about 85 kilometres from Patna.
Kumari Vibha, head of SKMCH, told the BBC that the girl had wounds on her chest and neck. After stabilizing her, doctors sent her to PMCH for reconstructive surgery on her windpipe. At PMCH, her uncle says hospital staff made them move between departments for hours before admitting her to the gynecology ward.
Hospital officials dispute this. IS Thakur, a senior doctor, explained the family first took her to the pediatrics department, but her injuries required care from the ear, nose and throat team.
Since there was no ICU in that department, she was moved to the gynecology ICU, arriving in an advanced ambulance with critical care facilities. Thakur denies there was any hold-up in getting a bed.
Protest Staged Over Girl’s Death
The story gained attention after a video surfaced showing Congress party members confronting hospital staff, urging them to admit the girl.
Opposition groups have staged several protests since her death. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called the situation “deeply shameful” and demanded strict measures against anyone responsible.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal, Bihar’s main opposition party, criticized the government on X, questioning the point of expensive hospital buildings when there is disorder, poor treatment, lack of resources and insensitivity.
Leaders from the ruling BJP and JD(U) deny any wrongdoing. BJP spokesperson Anamika Singh Patel described the death as “unfortunate,” adding that hospital admission can take time and government staff are doing their jobs properly.
The case has also drawn attention to ongoing problems in Bihar’s hospitals, just months before the state assembly elections.
Last month, a patient at another public hospital in Patna reported being bitten by a rat while in bed. The hospital began an inquiry after the incident.
A recent Times of India editorial criticized the state of healthcare in Bihar, pointing out that only half the ventilators in government hospitals are working. Patna, the capital, has just one government doctor for every 11,541 people, and the situation is even worse in rural districts.
Source: BBC
