Bhopal:
A three-year-old child, battling blood cancer, allegedly died at AIIMS Bhopal after a nurse injected formalin into his body instead of medicine. The chemical, toxic for humans, is used to preserve biopsy samples, tissues and bodies.
The incident took place in December 2025. A criminal case has been filed in connection with the fatal mistake.
The child, Sarthak Yadav, was a resident of Kaurja village in Bina tehsil of Sagar district. He was admitted to the paediatric ward of AIIMS Bhopal on December 15, 2025, in a critical condition. His family says he was undergoing treatment for blood cancer and was under constant medical supervision.
According to the family, the fatal error took place on the morning of December 17. Sarthak’s IV line had reportedly been blocked. A nursing officer on duty allegedly picked up a syringe lying in the ward, marked with the letter “F”, and injected its contents into the IV bottle without proper vetting. His father, Siddharth Yadav, claims he tried to stop the nurse but failed.
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“My son had cancer, and we had admitted him to AIIMS. In the morning, a nurse came. The IV line was blocked. She picked up a syringe marked with an ‘F’ and injected it into the IV bottle. I tried to stop her three times, but she said, ‘Am I the doctor here, or are you?’ Shortly after that, my son lost consciousness,” Siddharth alleged.
What followed, according to the family, was panic inside the ward. Sarthak’s condition deteriorated rapidly after the injection. He lost consciousness and was rushed to the PICU. Doctors administered CPR, but the three-year-old could not be saved. He died at 8:45 AM.
The family has alleged that after the child collapsed, hospital staff tried to take away the IV bottle. Siddharth allegedly managed to grab it, but it was later snatched from him. “The doctor told me there was only a 50-50 chance of survival. By the time I ran to the nurse, they took the bottle away from me,” he alleged.
Internal Probe Report Fixes Accountability
AIIMS’ internal inquiry reportedly found that the direct cause of Sarthak’s death was the intravenous administration of formalin. The report held the nursing staff responsible for gross negligence.
The report allegedly states that formalin, meant for a biopsy sample, had been drawn into a syringe and left exposed in the ward.
Nursing officer Madhubala Sharma is accused of administering the chemical to the child. Another nursing officer, Anuka Gujarati, is accused of failing to store the formalin safely.
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Case Registered Against The Nurses
Based on the inquiry report, the Bagsewania police have registered a case against both nursing officers.
Sharma has been booked under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for causing death due to gross negligence. Anuka Gujarati has been booked under Section 286 for negligent handling of a hazardous chemical.
Bagsewania police station in-charge Amit Soni said, “We have registered a case against both nurses and are searching for them. AIIMS management has suspended both. Their inquiry found that the child’s death was caused by formalin.”
AIIMS management has removed both nurses from duty.
What’s Formalin?
Formalin is an aqueous solution of formaldehyde gas. It is a powerful and toxic chemical used in medical laboratories to preserve tissues, biopsy samples and cadavers.
