Newborn Dies in Womb as Ambulance Stuck for 5 Hours on Kanpur-Sagar Highway

Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh: Tragedy struck on the Kanpur-Hamirpur-Sagar highway when a pregnant woman lost her unborn child after an ambulance carrying her was stuck in traffic for nearly five hours due to a massive jam.

Details of the Incident
The incident occurred on 20 January when a dumper and a truck loaded with limestone broke down on the Betwa Bridge, bringing traffic to a standstill. The congestion had initially started on 19 January at 9 AM when an empty dumper broke down on the same bridge. Vehicles were moving at a snail’s pace throughout the day.

Police intervened to remove some of the limestone into the Betwa River and, with the help of a crane, cleared the trucks to resume traffic. However, many drivers parked their vehicles and slept overnight, worsening the congestion. The jam finally eased around 11 AM on 20 January, but heavy traffic continued throughout the day, affecting commuters, including schoolchildren, who were unable to reach schools on time.

Impact on the Pregnant Woman
Reena, a resident of Patanpur village in Maudha, began experiencing labor pains and was taken to the Maudha government hospital by her family. Given the critical condition, doctors referred her to the district hospital at around 2 AM. Unfortunately, the ambulance transporting her got stuck in traffic in Sumerpur for five hours. Upon arrival, doctors confirmed the death of the unborn child, leaving the family devastated.

Reena’s mother-in-law, Kaushilya, stated, “The ambulance was stuck for nearly five hours, and because of this delay, my daughter-in-law lost her baby.”

Authorities’ Statement
Traffic in-charge Harvendra Singh said the jam was caused by a limestone-laden truck breaking down. The congestion worsened due to the heavy volume of vehicles on the highway.