The NHRC has issued a notice to the Rajasthan government over reports that the head of a baby allegedly got separated from the body during delivery at a state-run hospital in Jaisalmer, officials said on January 15.

In a statement, the National Human Rights Commission said it had issued the notice to the chief secretary, seeking a detailed report in four weeks, along with health status of the woman and action taken against the doctor responsible and hospital staff.

"The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that in a shocking case of medical negligence, the head of a baby allegedly got separated from the body as the physician pulled the baby's legs with excessive force during delivery at a government hospital in Ramgarh, Jaisalmer in Rajasthan earlier this week," it said.

The commission also observed that the contents of the new report, if true, amount to violation of human rights of the newborn and the mother, and indicate towards gross negligence by the doctor and the nursing staff. The entire incident requires to be probed thoroughly to determine the real cause so that necessary steps could be taken to ensure that such gruesome incidents do not recur in future, the NHRC statement said.

According to the report, published on January 11, the doctors at Ramgarh hospital allegedly attempted to hide the case and referred the woman to Jaisalmer for further treatment and surgery, citing complications, it said. "At Jaisalmer hospital, it was revealed that the head of the baby was still inside the mother's womb, which was taken out by the doctors.

"However, when the news regarding this tragic and bizarre incident went viral, the state medical and health department put the doctor concerned on 'Awaiting Posting Order' (APO) and placed two nurses under suspension for their negligence," the statement said, quoting the report.

An FIR has been lodged by the family against the hospital staff for killing the newborn. The doctor concerned has been reportedly claiming that when the woman was brought to the hospital, the baby had already died and his legs were outside the uterus, it said.