In a shocking case of alleged negligence, a woman was forced to deliver her baby inside the park of a government hospital in Haryana’s Faridabad after her family found the main gate locked in the middle of the night. As reported by the Times of India, the family members of the woman could not reach from doctors or nurses either. The dramatic childbirth took place around 1.40am on Saturday at the 30-bed First Referral Unit hospital in Sector 3, the Times of India reported on Sunday. With no medical staff responding to desperate cries for help, the baby was ultimately delivered under the light of a mobile phone torch. Balesh, a resident of Badoli village, was rushed to the hospital after going into labour. Her family claimed they reached the main gate first, only to find it locked. Despite repeatedly banging on the gate and shouting for assistance, nobody responded. The family then spotted another gate at the back of the hospital and entered the premises, frantically searching for medical staff. But according to the woman’s relatives, no doctor, nurse or attendant came forward to help even as labour pains intensified. With no time left and panic mounting, Balesh gave birth in the hospital’s park area itself. A female relative with some experience handling childbirth stepped in to assist, while family members used a phone torch for light. “My husband and brother-in-law kept shouting for help, but no one came. By the time staff arrived, the delivery had already happened,” Balesh said. The newborn boy — her third son — and the mother were later shifted inside the hospital. The incident triggered outrage and prompted the Haryana health department to launch an inquiry. Officials later admitted there were serious lapses in night duty arrangements. District deputy civil surgeon Dr Rachna said the woman had arrived in an advanced stage of labour and delivered within minutes. She acknowledged that the OPD gate had been shut during the night, though another gate remained open for emergency cases. Haryana National Health Mission director Virender Yadav confirmed that the inquiry found negligence on part of the night-duty staff. “There were deficiencies. The patient’s family could not locate the staff nurse or employee on duty,” he said. Following the probe, two staffers were suspended. Authorities have now ordered that the hospital’s main road entry remain open at night to avoid a repeat of such an incident. The state government has also announced plans to set up a maternal and infant mortality “war room” to improve emergency response for pregnant women.