Newborn taken to Palghar hospital with severe injuries; police suspect mother’s role

A four-day-old baby girl was taken to a hospital with serious injuries in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, with police suspecting her mother’s involvement due to inconsistencies in her version, an official has said.

According to hospital sources, the newborn was recently brought to Dahanu sub-district hospital in a critical condition. Doctors initially suspected that an animal had attacked the infant, but medical examination showed that her wounds were not fresh.

After being alerted, police spoke to the baby’s mother. “Initially, the woman claimed that the baby had fallen accidentally. Later, she gave different reasons, which did not match medical findings,” an official said on Wednesday (December 31, 2025).

The nature of the injuries and the timeline indicate negligence and possible abandonment, he said. Locals reportedly noticed the baby lying outside and questioned the woman, following which she brought the infant back. Police suspect that stray animals attacked the baby while she was left unattended.

“We are probing the matter from all angles,” said an official from Dahanu police station.

Meanwhile, the infant has been referred to a hospital in Valsad, Gujarat, for advanced treatment, he added.