A three-year-old boy undergoing treatment for blood cancer at AIIMS Bhopal died in December 2025 after being injected with formalin, a hazardous chemical used for preserving biopsy samples.
The incident led to the registration of a first information report (FIR) against two nursing officers, following an internal inquiry that found evidence of gross negligence. Both nurses have been suspended, and police are searching for them.
According to Scroll, the FIR was filed against Madhubala Sharma and Anuka Gujarati after the inquiry established that the child, Sarthak Yadav, died soon after being administered formalin instead of intravenous flushing fluid. The chemical was intended for a postponed bone marrow biopsy, but the syringe was left unattended near the patient’s bed.
As reported by The Indian Express, the incident occurred on 17 December 2025, when the child’s intravenous line became blocked. Nurse Madhubala Sharma used the syringe containing formalin to flush the IV line without checking its contents, despite repeated warnings from the child’s father. The boy lost consciousness immediately and was transferred to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, where he was declared dead.
The internal inquiry found that Nursing Officer Anuka Gujarati was responsible for leaving the hazardous chemical unattended, while Madhubala Sharma administered the injection without verifying the syringe’s label or contents. Coverage revealed that both nurses face charges under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to causing death by negligence and negligent handling of hazardous substances.
Police investigations determined that the warnings from the child’s father were ignored. The FIR states, “During this time, the child’s father Siddharth Yadav cautioned and warned Nursing Officer Madhubala three times that the syringe did not contain IV flushing fluid and that it should not be administered to the child without consulting a doctor.”
“Despite these warnings, Nurse Madhubala ignored the family’s objections and, acting with gross haste and negligence, injected the formalin into Sarthak through the intravenous route,” the FIR said.
Further details from investigative findings indicate that the child was admitted for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and had been scheduled for a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. The biopsy was postponed, but the formalin-filled syringe was not discarded or secured, which contributed to the fatal error.
At the end of the police inquiry, officials confirmed that both nurses were suspended by AIIMS Bhopal and that efforts were ongoing to locate them. The FIR specifically cites the internal committee’s findings as the basis for the criminal case.
The FIR was registered under Sections 106(1) and 286 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertain to causing death by negligence and negligent handling of hazardous substances as details emerged.
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