A three-year-old boy with blood cancer has died at AIIMS Bhopal after a nurse reportedly injected him with formalin instead of medicine. This chemical, which is toxic to humans, is normally used to preserve biopsy samples, tissues, and dead bodies. The tragic incident took place in December 2025.
In a shocking case of medical negligence, a three-year-old boy being treated for blood cancer has died at AIIMS Bhopal. The cause of death was a fatal mistake: a nurse allegedly injected him with formalin instead of his prescribed medicine.
Formalin is a chemical that’s highly toxic to humans. It’s the stuff used to preserve biopsy samples, tissues, and even dead bodies. This incident happened back in December 2025, and a criminal case has now been filed over this massive error.
The little boy, Sarthak Yadav, was from Kaurja village in Sagar district’s Bina tehsil. He was admitted to the paediatric ward at AIIMS Bhopal on December 15, 2025, because he was seriously ill. His family says he was under constant medical observation.
According to his family, the terrible error occurred on the morning of December 17. Sarthak’s IV line had gotten blocked. The family alleges that a nurse on duty picked up a syringe lying in the ward—it had the letter ‘F’ marked on it—and without checking, she pushed the liquid inside into the IV bottle. Sarthak’s father, Siddharth Yadav, claims he tried to stop the nurse but was ignored.
Siddharth alleged, “My son had cancer, and we admitted him to AIIMS. In the morning, a nurse came. The IV line was blocked. She picked up a syringe marked ‘F’ and pushed it into the IV bottle. I tried to stop her three times, but she said, ‘Who is the doctor here—me or you?’ A little while later, my son lost consciousness.”
The family says panic broke out in the ward. Right after the injection, Sarthak’s condition worsened rapidly. He fell unconscious and was rushed to the PICU. Doctors tried CPR, but they couldn’t save the three-year-old. He was declared dead at 8:45 AM. The family also claims that after Sarthak passed out, hospital staff tried to take away the IV bottle. Siddharth tried to hold onto it, but he says it was snatched from him. “The doctor had told me there was a 50-50 chance of survival. When I ran towards the nurse, they had already removed the bottle,” he alleged.
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An internal investigation by AIIMS has confirmed that the direct cause of Sarthak’s death was formalin being administered into his veins. The report blamed the nursing staff for ‘gross negligence’. It’s alleged that formalin, meant for a biopsy sample, was drawn into a syringe and just left unattended in the ward. Nursing Officer Madhubala Sharma is accused of administering the chemical. Another Nursing Officer, Anuka Gujarati, is accused of failing to store the formalin safely. The Bagsewania police have filed cases against both of them.
Madhubala Sharma is facing charges under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita for causing death by gross negligence. Meanwhile, Anuka Gujarati has been booked under Section 286 for negligent handling of a dangerous chemical. AIIMS authorities have taken both nurses off their duties.
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