'Stillborn' baby comes to life on way to grave cemetery

A premature baby girl declared stillborn by doctors in Mumbai "came to life" several hours later as the relatives were carrying her to a cemetery to be buried.

The baby was born two months early after her mother, Aruna Gaikwad, 30, was taken to hospital suffering from convulsions and high blood pressure.

Mrs Gaikwad was being treated for hypertension at the municipal Lokmanya Tilak municipal general hospital when staff were forced to induce her labour.

Some of the nurses present at the birth, on Monday, reportedly claimed the child had a very faint heartbeat but the doctor on duty, who has been suspended while an inquiry is carried out, declared her to be dead and signed a death certificate.

Several hours later, relatives were taking the body to be buried when the baby made a gurgling noise.

Mrs Gaikwad is said to be responding well to treatment but her daughter weighs only 3lbs and her lungs are not fully developed. "The child is very ill," said Dr Sandhya Kamath.

Officials believe that the baby was affected by drugs given to her mother, suppressing her heartbeat and that once the effect of those wore off she "came alive".