Archive · 8 Sep 2026
Newborn Dies After Ambulance Stalls on Damaged Agra Road
A woman in Uttar Pradesh needed an ambulance because she was having a baby.
The ambulance became stuck in a deep, muddy pothole on a damaged village road.
Villagers used a tractor to pull it out.
The ambulance was delayed for almost two hours.
The woman later reached a health centre or hospital.
The newborn girl had died, but reports differed about exactly when the death happened.
The family said the bad road and delay may have contributed to the tragedy.
Officials said they would investigate and ask the Public Works Department for a report.
A political leader blamed corruption, while officials have not yet assigned responsibility.
An ambulance carrying a woman in labour became stuck for nearly two hours in a deep pothole in Gadhwar village, Agra district.
Villagers used a tractor to pull the ambulance free after it got trapped on the damaged road.
The woman reached a health centre or hospital at about 3:30 a.m., but the newborn girl was reported dead.
Accounts differed on whether the baby died in the womb or stopped breathing after the woman reached the hospital.
Officials forwarded the family’s complaint to the Public Works Department and sought a report before taking further action.
- Who
- A woman in labour, her family, villagers, ambulance staff and local officials were involved; Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav commented publicly.
- What
- An ambulance carrying the woman became stuck in a pothole for nearly two hours, after which the newborn girl was reported dead.
- When
- The incident reportedly occurred on September 2 or during the early hours of September 2–3; the complaint was received on September 5.
- Where
- Gadhwar, also reported as Gadhbar, village in the Bah area of Agra district, Uttar Pradesh.
- Why
- The ambulance reportedly hit a deep pothole on a damaged road. The family alleged that the resulting delay contributed to the baby’s death, while officials said the matter required investigation.
Family and Residents
Officials and Political Accounts
Role of the road delay
Family and Residents
The family and residents alleged that the damaged road trapped the ambulance and that the resulting delay contributed to the newborn’s death.
Officials and Political Accounts
Officials said the circumstances were under investigation; reports also differed over whether the baby died before or after the woman reached the hospital.
Road maintenance
Family and Residents
Residents said the road deteriorated after heavy rainfall and soil erosion and claimed that repeated complaints to the Public Works Department’s junior engineer produced no action.
Officials and Political Accounts
The Sub-Divisional Magistrate said the Public Works Department had been informed, a report was requested and further action would follow its findings.
Political responsibility
Family and Residents
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav blamed alleged corruption under the Bharatiya Janata Party for the death.
Officials and Political Accounts
The officials quoted in the reports did not assign political responsibility and instead focused on an administrative and departmental investigation.
- Location
- Gadhwar/Gadhbar village, Bah area, Agra district, Uttar Pradesh
- Reported delay
- The ambulance was stuck for nearly two hours.
- Rescue
- Villagers tied the ambulance to a tractor and pulled it out of the pothole.
- Medical outcome
- The newborn girl was reported dead; accounts differed over whether the death occurred in the womb or after reaching the hospital.
- Road condition
- Residents said the road had been repaired about six months earlier but was damaged roughly a month later after heavy rainfall and soil erosion.
- Complaint
- The family sought action against those responsible for maintaining the road.
- Official response
- Sub-Divisional Magistrate Vinod Kumar said the complaint was sent to the Public Works Department and that further action would follow its report.
