Bhubaneswar, Oct 26 (IANS): The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday directed the Odisha government to submit a report over the death of a pregnant woman and her baby after allegedly being badly assaulted by a nurse on duty in Mayurbhanj district.

Taking suo motu cognizance of a media report that an expecting mother delivered a still-born child after a nurse abused and kicked her, the commission has asked the state chief secretary to furnish a report on the matter within four weeks, an NHRC release said.

The woman and her child died after being allegedly kicked and slapped by the nurse at a government-run hospital at Baripada on October 5. The nurse has been suspended.

Justice D. Murugesan, an NHRC member, observed that the contents of the press report, if true, indicated negligence and prevailing lawlessness in the government-run hospital in the Mayurbhanj district and raises serious questions of violation of human rights.

The woman was admitted to the district hospital at the Baripada town on October 4. However, the doctor on duty reportedly asked her to wait till October 5 for the delivery.

At 2 a.m., when she went into labour, the nurse allegedly abused the victim for screaming in pain and asked an attendant to take her to the labour room, said the release.

"She then got enraged over the delay and allegedly hit the pregnant woman with her 'chappal' and also kicked her," the release added.

Subsequently, the woman was taken by a doctor to the labour room where she gave birth to a still-born child and herself died a few hours later.

An FIR about the incident has been lodged at the Baripada town police station.