Death of 3 year old cancer patient in AIIMS Bhopal, was it a mistake in treatment or system failure? Nurse accused of giving formalin injection, was there fatal negligence in IV line? Investigation proved gross negligence, did the hospital safety protocols completely fail? Was it just an accident or was there a major medical mistake behind this painful death?
Bhopal: Hospital is called the temple of life, but when the protectors become the eater, then whom should a person trust? A horrifying and heart-wrenching story of gross negligence has come to light from the pediatric ward of AIIMS (AIIMS), Bhopal, which has put the entire country’s medical system in the dock. The lamp of life of an innocent 3 year old child suffering from a deadly disease like blood cancer was extinguished forever, not by the disease, but by the cynicism and carelessness of a nursing officer of the hospital.
Where and when did the incident happen?
This shocking incident happened with innocent Sarthak Yadav, resident of Kaurja village of Bina tehsil of Sagar district. Sarthak was admitted to the pediatric ward of AIIMS Bhopal in a critical condition on 15 December 2025. The parents had hope in their eyes that their child would be cured in the most prestigious medical institute of the country, but little did they know that the morning of 17th December was going to bring them a never-ending nightmare.
“Is it me or you, Doctor?” When father’s pleas proved ineffective
On the morning of 17 December 2025, Sarthak’s IV (intravenous) line was suddenly blocked. Nursing officer Madhubala Sharma on duty came to the ward. He picked up a syringe already lying there, which was mysteriously marked ‘F’. The nurse began injecting the syringe directly into the child’s IV bottle without checking what was inside. Sarthak’s father Siddharth Yadav had sensed the danger after seeing the ‘F’ mark on the syringe. He tried and pleaded with the nurse to stop him not once, not twice but three times. But the nurse, intoxicated with power and ego, rebuked the father harshly and said: “Am I the doctor here or you?” The nurse ignored the father’s warning and poured the poisonous liquid into the innocent child’s blood. After a few seconds, 3-year-old Sarthak started writhing in agony and fell unconscious.
Screaming in the ward and unsuccessful attempt to destroy evidence
As soon as the injection was given, the pediatric ward turned into a scary battlefield. Sarthak’s condition started deteriorating at lightning speed. The team of doctors hurriedly took him to PICU. There he was given CPR, but it was too late. At 8:45 in the morning, the baby’s heartbeat stopped forever. Siddharth Yadav alleges that as soon as the child became unconscious, the hospital staff realized their terrible mistake. They immediately ran into the ward and tried to remove the IV bottle to destroy the evidence. Siddharth tried to save the bottle by holding it, so that the truth could come out, but the hospital staff snatched the bottle from him by force. Doctors later only said that the child’s chances of survival were only 50-50%.
Big revelation in internal investigation: ‘Death solution’ was roaming freely
After the uproar in this matter, the AIIMS management constituted a high level internal inquiry committee. The recent investigation report has blown away the claims of safety standards within the hospital. The report clearly states that the direct and only cause of Sarthak’s death was the injection of formalin into his veins. Investigation revealed that this extremely dangerous chemical used for biopsy samples was filled in a syringe and left unattended and open in the ward. The report has found Nursing Officer Madhubala Sharma guilty of giving that deadly chemical to the child and the other Nursing Officer Anuka Gujarati guilty of gross negligence in not keeping that dangerous chemical safely.
What is formalin?
Formalin is actually a very powerful and strong solution of formaldehyde gas made in water. It acts like a deadly poison for the human body. In medical science, it is used only to protect dead bodies (bodies), tissues and samples removed for biopsy from decomposition. To administer it directly into a vein is to directly invite death.
What action has the police taken so far?
Based on the internal report, Bagsevania Police has registered a criminal case against both the accused nurses. According to police station in-charge Amit Soni, a case has been registered against the main accused Madhubala Sharma under Section 106 (1) of the Indian Justice Code for causing death by gross negligence and Anuka Gujarati under Section 286 for negligent handling of a dangerous chemical. The AIIMS management has suspended both of them and the police is currently actively searching for the absconding nurses. Innocent Sarthak will not return, but this incident has left the question that who is the real responsible of this ‘medical murder’?