Agra: Ambulance Stuck in Pothole for Over Two Hours, Unborn Baby Dies in UP
An emergency ambulance carrying a 25-year-old woman in labor got trapped in a deep pothole on a village road in Uttar Pradesh's Agra district on September 3, leading to a two-hour delay that resulted in the death of her unborn child.
An unborn baby died after an ambulance carrying a woman in labour got stuck in a massive pothole for more than two hours on a village road in Uttar Pradesh's Agra district, delaying her arrival at a hospital, officials and local residents said. The incident took place in Gadhbar village in the Bah sub-division during the early hours of September 3. The woman was eventually taken to a community health centre, where doctors performed emergency surgery and stabilised her, but the baby could not be saved, TOI reported.
Ambulance trapped on damaged village road
According to the report, 25-year-old Nidhi, wife of Pravendra Singh, went into active labour at around 1 am. Her family called an emergency ambulance, which reached the village shortly afterwards. However, the ambulance became trapped after plunging into a large pothole on the village link road connecting Gadhbar to the main highway. NHAI New Ambulance Rules: 10-Minute Crash Response, 1-Hour Hospital Deadline On Highways.
The driver tried to move the vehicle, but its wheels remained stuck in the mud. Villagers later arranged a tractor and spent nearly two hours trying to pull the ambulance free.
Baby declared dead after delayed arrival
The family finally reached a community health centre at around 3.30 am. Doctors said the baby had died in the womb amid complications and the critical delay in reaching medical care. Emergency surgery was carried out, and the mother was stabilised, according to the report. Andhra Pradesh: Newborn Dies at NTR Hospital in Anakapalli After Power Outage Disrupts Oxygen Supply.
Villagers allege repeated complaints were ignored
Local residents said the road had been constructed and repaired by the Public Works Department around six months ago. However, a portion of the road was reportedly damaged after heavy rainfall and soil erosion about a month before the incident, creating a major hazard for vehicles. A local resident alleged that villagers had repeatedly approached the PWD and sought urgent repairs, but no action was taken.
Administration orders probe, promises repairs
Residents raised the issue at the Sampoorna Samadhan Diwas, also known as Tehsil Diwas, held in Bah and demanded the construction of a durable cement concrete road as well as accountability over the incident. Bah Sub-Divisional Magistrate Vinod Kumar said the administration had received a complaint regarding the damaged road and that PWD officials had been informed.
He said the road had been damaged due to soil erosion caused by heavy rainfall and assured that repair work would be completed as soon as possible. Kumar also said authorities were probing the incident.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the condition of rural roads and the impact of poor connectivity on access to emergency healthcare in remote areas.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 07, 2026 08:28 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
