A baby boy, declared stillborn at a premier nursing home here and on the verge of being taken for funeral, was found alive several hours later. His condition is reported to be critical.

The baby, born premature, is battling for life at a hospital where he was shifted after the mistake was discovered.

Youth Congress supporters gheraoed Dr Goutam Khastogir, who had pronounced the baby dead, in his chamber on Elgin Road from 2:30 pm for two hours.

The CEO of the nursing home, Bellevue Clinic, P. Tandon, first refused to admit it was a case of medical negligence. Later, he said an internal inquiry had been ordered.

“This is not a case of medical negligence. Sometimes a baby fails to respond. This is what exactly happened. After we learnt the baby is alive, we immediately sent him to the AMRI hospital for better treatment,” Tandon said.

An hour later, Tandon changed his statement. “We are conducting an internal inquiry. If we find any lapse on the part of the nurses or the doctor, we will take action.”

AMRI spokesman Kanak Ghosh, however, said, “We cannot say the baby is out of danger. He is in an incubator for observation.”

Sangita Das, a resident of Belilious Road, Howrah, was admitted to Bellevue Clinic on Sunday and taken to the labour room after midnight where she delivered a baby boy.

“There was no doctor present during the delivery and on Monday morning the nurses informed me that I had delivered a still-born baby,” Sangita said.

The hospital authorities reportedly informed Sangita’s family more than 10 hours after delivery that the baby was still-born.