Chennai YouTuber in trouble over video of him cutting his baby's umbilical cord

Chennai YouTuber Irfan faces legal scrutiny after posting a video showing him cutting his baby's umbilical cord inside a sterile operation theatre. Authorities have taken action against both Irfan and the attending doctor.

In Short

• YouTuber Irfan posted a video of him cutting his baby’s umbilical cord, which went viral
• Hospital issued notice for allowing non-medical personnel inside the operation theatre
• Tamil Nadu Health Minister confirmed police complaint against Irfan and doctor

Popular Tamil YouTuber Irfan was in legal trouble after posting a video showing him cutting his newborn’s umbilical cord inside an operation theatre. The video, which featured his wife giving birth at a private hospital in Sholinganallur in Chennai, quickly went viral, amassing 3.3 million views by Monday, October 21. The video, however, also caught the attention of medical authorities, leading to swift action against both the hospital and the YouTuber.

The Directorate of Medical and Rural Health issued a show cause notice to the hospital, questioning how Irfan, an attender, was allowed inside the sterile operation theatre with a camera. Dr J Rajamoorthy, a senior health official, cited violations under the Tamil Nadu Clinical Establishment Act, which governs hygiene and safety in medical facilities.

Further complicating matters, a complaint was registered with the State Medical Council against the doctor who permitted Irfan to cut the umbilical cord, an act typically reserved for trained medical professionals.

As the controversy escalated, Irfan made the video private. However, the issue has already drawn widespread condemnation. Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian called Irfan’s actions “offensive” and emphasised that allowing a non-surgeon into the operating room is a violation under the National Medical Commission Act 2021. The Minister confirmed that a formal complaint had been lodged with the Semmanjeri Police Station against both Irfan and Dr Niveditha, the attending physician.

“Action will continue even if Irfan apologises,” said Subramanian, signalling that the government is taking the issue seriously.

This isn’t the first time Irfan has courted controversy. Earlier, he faced backlash for revealing the gender of his unborn baby on social media, a practice that is illegal in India under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act. Irfan had learned the gender while in Dubai, where gender reveals are legal, and shared the information online after returning to India.