Dhubri, Oct. 23: The Dhubri district administration today ordered a magisterial inquiry into the death of a newborn last night, allegedly because of negligence of the maternity ward staff at Dhubri Civil Hospital.

The inquiry was ordered after family members of the deceased alleged that the newborn boy died because the doctor, matron and nurses on night duty were negligent.

Sources in the hospital said 25-year-old Anjali, wife of Ramakanta Roy of Rupshi in Dhubri district, was admitted to the maternity ward around 8.30pm.

Gynaecologist Sashi Kumar Deka, who was on duty in the maternity ward, examined her at 9pm and advised a normal delivery. She was taken to the labour room around 11.30pm and after an hour delivered a dead baby.

When the news broke, relatives and friends of the couple stormed the maternity ward and vandalised the hospital. The mob also engaged in a scuffle with gynaecologists Deka and Tapan Kumar Bhowmik.

Ramakanta’s maternal uncle, Rathi Narayan Barman, alleged that the matron on duty took her (Anjali) to the labour room even before consulting Bhowmik, who was on duty. “The matron should have called the doctor on duty to attend to the patient, but she did not do so.”

Dhubri additional deputy commissioner Nitul Kumar Baruah brought the situation under control. He will conduct the inquiry and submit the report within a week. Hospital superintendent K.M. Das said the inquiry has been ordered on the basis of a complaint lodged by Roy.