A nurse arrested on Tuesday night (August 19) following the death of a newborn death in Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH), the next after being detained acting on the directive of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The nurse identified as sister-in-charge Bhanupriya Mishong. Soon after she was arrested, several nurses gathered at the police station, questioning why only Bhanupriya had been arrested in connection with the NICU incident.
The arrest has sparked controversy, as nurses claim that Bhanupriya was unfairly targeted even though multiple staff members were on duty at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) that night.
Also read: GMCH Newborn death: Police Detain 11 Staff Over Negligence
According GMCH Staff, five nurses, including Bhanupriya, were on duty in the NICU that night along with three doctors — Puja, Rishikesh, and Diganta Barman — two ward girls, and two cleaners. Nurses stated that despite many was present in the duty, while only Bhanupriya singled arrested.
They further claimed that the NICU room under her charge had 35 newborns, not 26 as officially stated, and accused Superintendent and Principal Achyut Baishya of misrepresentation.
The Nurses also said that at the time of the incident, Banupriya had stepped out to prepare milk. Ideally, three nurses should have been assigned to the room, but due to staff shortages, she was left alone. They also alleged that one of the newborn warmers was not functioning.
Following the medical examination, Banupriya transferred to Panbazar Police Station. Her colleagues argued that the case highlights serious infrastructural lapses at GMCH rather than individual negligence.
 following the death of a newborn death in Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH).){kind=link}