Palghar Shocker: Newborn Dies In Mokhada, Father Carries Infant's Body 80 KM In Bag After Ambulance Fails To Arrive

Palghar: In a horrifying indictment of rural healthcare, a newborn tragically died in Mokhada, Palghar district, after a pregnant woman was denied timely ambulance services, enduring a 15-hour ordeal. The tragedy was compounded when the grieving father was forced to carry his deceased infant's body in a plastic bag on an 80-kilometre public bus journey due to the lack of transport and his dire financial situation. The mother, thankfully, survived after being rushed for surgery.

The family firmly believes their baby could have been saved if emergency medical transport had arrived promptly. This shocking incident has ignited widespread outrage and demands for immediate accountability from health authorities.

A Nine-Hour Wait for an Ambulance That Never Came

Avita Sakharam Kavar, 26, from Jogalwadi village, began experiencing labor pains around 3 am. Her family immediately called the 108 emergency ambulance service, only to be told no ambulance was available. Despite multiple desperate follow-up calls, including one at 8 am, no help arrived by noon.

With no other choice, the family managed to arrange a private vehicle to take her to the Khodala Primary Health Centre. There, doctors determined she needed to be transferred to the Mokhada Rural Hospital. Again, no ambulance was available, even after a request was made from the local health sub-center. Finally, by 6 pm, a staggering 15 hours after the onset of labor, Avita was admitted to Mokhada Rural Hospital.

Doctors at Mokhada hospital delivered the devastating news: the baby had died in the womb. Avita was then referred to Nashik District Hospital for urgent surgery, where doctors successfully intervened and saved her life.

Father Forced to Carry His Deceased Baby in a Bag

What unfolded next has left the community reeling. After the delivery, the deceased newborn was handed over to the family. The hospital, shockingly, made no transport arrangements, leaving the father, Sakharam Kavar, utterly stranded. With no money to hire a private vehicle or arrange for an ambulance, a heartbroken Kavar placed his baby's tiny body in a plastic bag and boarded a public bus for the arduous 80-90 kilometre journey back to his village, where the final rites were conducted.

This incident brutally exposes the critical failures within the public health system. As the government focuses on large-scale infrastructure projects like the Vadhavan Port and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, fundamental emergency services remain a distant, unattainable dream for residents in remote tribal regions like Mokhada.

Alleged Police Assault Adds to Father's Trauma

Adding to the family's unimaginable suffering, Sakharam Kavar alleges he was assaulted by police when he sought answers from health center staff regarding the agonizing delay. "When I questioned the negligence, they called the police instead of helping me. I was already broken after losing my child, and then they beat me too," he claimed.

Health Department's Response

Taluka Health Officer Dr. Bhausaheb Chattar stated, "The woman was in early stages of pregnancy. When examined, no fetal heartbeat was detected, and so she was referred to a higher center for further care."

Despite this clarification, the incident has ignited fervent demands for swift action against those responsible, with activists and citizens condemning it as a grave violation of human rights and a profound act of healthcare negligence.

This incident powerfully underscores the urgent need to address the accessibility and efficiency of emergency medical services in Maharashtra's tribal belts, where long distances and critical time often mean the difference between life and death.

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