The body of a newborn girl was found in a garbage dump behind Umaid Hospital in Jodhpur on Saturday.
Police found the body in the garbage pile after passers-by, who also claimed to have spotted two bodies of infants, informed them. However, police said there was only one body of an infant girl.
“We got information at 9.30 am that a body of an infant was lying on a heap of garbage,” said investigating officer Pabba Ram. “We rushed to the spot and found people surrounding a dead infant girl behind Umaid Hospital,” Ram said.
He said police have filed a case and handed over the body to Hindu Sewa Mandal for cremation after post-mortem.
“It is a matter of investigation whether the infant was born in the hospital or somebody from outside dropped it there,” he added.
Witnesses claimed that dogs had already eaten one of the infants, while the other body was spotted before the animals could reach it.
A witness said they had seen some dogs carrying the body of an infant, and when they rushed to the spot, they found blood stains.
“I was passing by when I saw some dogs rummaging a pile of garbage. When I got closer after shooing them away, I found a dead infant and immediately informed police.”
Government officials and social organisations have been campaigning against female foeticide as Rajasthan has a bad female sex ratio.
In 2009, a newborn had died after being bitten by a rat in the natal ward of the same hospital.