A video purportedly showed Kalpana pleading with her family to take her home while hospital staff attempted to restrain her. "If this kind of treatment continues, these people will kill me," she was heard saying. (Special Arrangement)The Madhya Pradesh government has removed Dr Rahul Mishra from the post of superintendent of Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Rewa, days after a video purportedly showed him making an insensitive remark to the family of a pregnant woman who died along with her newborn.An order issued by the state Public Health and Medical Education Department on September 1 transferred the charge of superintendent of the hospital – which is attached to Shyam Shah Medical College, Rewa – to Dr Priyank Sharma, professor in the general surgery department, “until further orders”. The order did not cite reasons for the change.The move comes days after a video of Dr Mishra interacting with the family of 25-year-old Kalpana Mishra went viral and drew criticism from the Opposition. The controversy erupted after Dr Mishra was purportedly heard telling a family member: “You got your 22-year-old sister pregnant,” while the family questioned the hospital over Kalpana’s treatment and death.Dr Mishra denied allegations of negligence and subsequently apologised for his remarks. “My deepest sympathies are with the bereaved family. My statement absolutely did not mean what it is being interpreted to mean,” he said.However, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari seized on the video, accusing the government of protecting the superintendent and alleging that Dr Mishra was linked to Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla. Patwari questioned why Dr Mishra had continued in his post despite the controversy, attributing the delayed action to political connections.What was the case?The removal comes amid an ongoing inquiry into the deaths of Kalpana and her newborn. Kalpana, a resident of Hatwa in Rewa district, was admitted to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital on the night of August 25 and underwent a C-section at around 8.30 pm on August 26. Her condition deteriorated, and she died while undergoing treatment. The infant did not survive.The family alleged that doctors failed to provide adequate care despite repeated pleas. Hours before her death, a video purportedly showed Kalpana pleading with her family to take her home while hospital staff attempted to restrain her. “If this kind of treatment continues, these people will kill me,” she was heard saying. “I won’t survive. Please save me, my life is in danger.”Story continues below this adHer father, Ramsharan Mishra, said he had repeatedly asked doctors to examine his daughter and monitor her condition closely. In a statement, he said: “Kalpana was my only daughter. Today, she has left us. The police must register an FIR against those responsible. The doctor on duty and the staff must be suspended. Before her death, she told me, ‘Papa, save me. These people will kill me’.”The doctor’s earlier denialDr Mishra rejected allegations of medical negligence, attributing Kalpana’s death to insufficient antenatal check-ups. “The incident is unfortunate. The family made a very serious lapse,” he said. “As per protocol, a pregnant woman should undergo at least eight examinations. Looking at her documents, we found she had been examined only twice, both at a private hospital. Because her blood pressure and heart rate increased, Kalpana lost consciousness.”He said a high-level inquiry committee had been constituted and two nursing officers had been suspended. “This is a medical matter. Why the patient did not regain consciousness is a subject of investigation, and action will be taken against whoever is found responsible based on the inquiry’s findings,” he said.Dr Mishra maintained that medical protocols had been followed. “The woman was treated according to medical protocols. There was no negligence on the part of the doctors. However, inquiries are underway into the family’s allegations. The body was handed over to the family following the post-mortem,” he added.Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More