Amid the row over rats having a free run inside a government hospital in Uttar Pradesh, ANI (Asian News International) has deleted its X post on the same without citing any reason or explanation. After taking down the video of rodents inside the hospital, the news agency shared a statement from the hospital super regarding action taken in this matter.
Disturbing video footage depicting rats roaming freely near patients’ beds and on the hospital floor at the Autonomus State Medical College and Babu Ishwar Sharan Hospital in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, went viral on social media on January 14 and 15. The facility is commonly referred to as Gonda medical college.
India Today shared a video in which dozens of rats could be seen crawling on oxygen pipes near the heads of patients lying inside a ward. A few of them cam be seen trying to tear open a packet hanging above a patient’s bed.
UP Healthcare Shocker: Rats crawl on oxygen pipes at Gonda district hospital. Watch this exclusive report by India Today’s @ashishaajtak #UttarPradesh #Gonda @snehamordani pic.twitter.com/KBJBDp1E4I
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) January 15, 2026
The Hindu reported that the footage was from the orthopedic ward of the state-run hospital.
ANI shared a video on X at 6:06 pm on January 14 showing rats running around on the floor of a ward and climbing up bedside tables with patients lying in their beds. The video was accompanied by the following caption: “#WATCH | Gonda, UP | Rats seen roaming in patient ward in Autonomous State Medical College and Babu Ishwar Sharan Hospital in Gonda.”
The deleted video can be watched here:
Amid the outrage over the state of healthcare in Uttar Pradesh, ANI deleted the video shortly afterwards and shared a statement from Dr DN Singh, the superintendent of a government-run medical college, at 6:24 pm.
Singh mentioned that hospital authorities had formed a committee in response to a viral video showing rats roaming in the hospital wards. Based on the committee’s findings which will be submitted within 48 hours, further action will be taken. He also added that the existing building is old and has several rat holes.
#WATCH | Gonda | On viral video showing rats roaming in hospital, Dr DN Singh, Superintendent, Autonomous State Medical College & Babu Ishwar Sharan hospital, says, “We have constituted a committee, and on the basis of its report, we will take further action. The existing… pic.twitter.com/2JjP1Krc80
— ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2026
Till the time of this report being published, ANI has not cited any reason for taking down the video report.
Alt News has reached out to ANI editor Smita Prakash regarding this. We will update this report as and when we get a response.
Journalistic integrity demands that deleting a report be accompanied by an explanation, more so when the said report demands accountability from authorities or subjects a government to public scrutiny. When a report is deleted without explanation, readers are left to speculate about possible motives — an error, pressure, bias, or censorship — which eventually erodes public trust in the media.
This is not the first time that ANI has removed a video that could provoke criticism of the government. Last year, ANI deleted a video of Union home minister Amit Shah, who made a controversial statement suggesting that India was not far from becoming a society where English speakers would “feel ashamed.” This video was also deleted without any explanation.
ALSO READ: Language Row: News outlets take down stories, posts on Amit Shah’s controversial English remark
Recently, The Times of India also deleted a video that it had shared from its official X handle, which showed spectators at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium greeting chief minister Rekha Gupta with ‘AQI AQI’ slogans. No reason for the retraction was cited by the outlet.
ALSO READ: AQI chants at Delhi stadium when Rekha Gupta greeted Messi: TOI deletes video without citing reason
In March 2025, several media outlets deleted reports on a South African wildlife organization raising concerns about the functioning of the Reliance-owned Vantara Animal and Rehabilitation Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat. At least three houses told Alt News that they had received threatening emails after publishing the stories.
ALSO READ: News outlets receive ‘threat mails’, some delete stories on concerns over Ambanis’ Vantara project
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