The discovery was made after a fire broke out in the garbage around the tank. Hospital authorities called the fire brigade, and once the flames were extinguished, staff found the charred remains of the infants. Plastic and polythene material was stuck to the bodies, indicating they may have been wrapped and dumped along with waste. Kohefiza police were informed around 2 p.m.
According to investigators, one body was burnt nearly 90 percent while the second suffered partial burns. Both have been shifted to the mortuary, and a five-member team of doctors will conduct the post-mortem to determine whether the infants were dead before the fire or suffered burns while alive. Police have ordered DNA sampling and are examining hospital records and CCTV footage to trace the source of the bodies.
Plastic hospital bedsheets, typically used in maternity and paediatric wards, were also found in the garbage. This has strengthened suspicion that the newborns may have been wrapped in these sheets before being discarded. Officers noted that burnt plastic adhered to the bodies suggests deliberate disposal in the garbage tank prior to the fire.
Kohefiza police station in-charge K.G. Shukla said garbage had been routinely thrown into the old tank by hospital staff and attendants, and fires were frequently set to reduce the waste volume. He acknowledged that the practice was longstanding and unregulated.
The incident has raised questions over Hamidia Hospital’s biomedical waste management and security protocols. Officials admitted that CCTV cameras around the mortuary area were of poor quality, and the available footage is unclear. Police said the investigation is ongoing and all angles, including negligence and possible foul play, are being examined.
