Amid road closure, woman forced to deliver baby at home, infant dies

Kokernag, Dec 28: A woman in Gadole area of Kokernag, South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, was compelled to deliver her baby at home after being unable to reach the hospital due to snow-covered roads. Tragically, the infant passed away shortly after birth, according to the family.

The woman, identified as Masrat Jan, wife of Nawaz Ahmad Magray from Magraypora Gadole, gave birth to a baby boy around 11:00 AM on Saturday. A relative, Bilal Ahmad Magray, informed Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the impassable roads left them no choice but to conduct the delivery at home.

“We called the Tehsil administration and road clearance officials multiple times since early morning, but received no help. Not even a JCB was sent to clear the snow. The road remained blocked, and the woman still hasn’t been transferred to a hospital,” he said, adding that despite attempts by Asha workers and health officials, they couldn’t reach the family due to the road conditions.

The family has called for urgent steps to ensure better road clearance and healthcare access in the region to prevent similar incidents in the future.

In response, SDM Kokernag, Suheel Ahmad Lone, told KNO, “While the administration did everything possible to reach the location, the severe snowfall hindered our efforts. We sent a vehicle, but the road was too slippery and snowbound. The woman delivered at home, but this is not a case of medical negligence.”

He further stated that 80% of the roads in the Kokernag area have now been cleared, and the rest are expected to be cleared by late evening. He also mentioned that electricity has been restored to most parts of Kokernag.