Ten patients have died after a fire broke out in the trauma centre intensive care unit of a government hospital in the eastern Indian state of Odisha.

The victims were all patients receiving treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital in the city of Cuttack. Eleven hospital staff members are currently receiving treatment for burns suffered while attempting to rescue those trapped in the blaze, according to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

Officials said the fire started around 02:30 local time on Monday (21:00 GMT Sunday) in the trauma care ICU. Early investigations suggest the blaze may have been triggered by an electrical short circuit.

Emergency responders quickly arrived at the hospital and managed to bring the fire under control. Patients in the affected units were evacuated and transferred to other wards within the same facility as the rescue operation unfolded.

SCB Medical College and Hospital is among the largest government-run medical institutions in Odisha and serves thousands of patients each year.

After visiting the hospital, Majhi told reporters that the fire damaged the trauma care ICU as well as an adjoining intensive care unit and nearby wards. He praised the actions of medical workers and security staff who, he said, “risked their lives” to save patients during the emergency.

The state government has announced financial compensation for the families of those who died and has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident. Authorities say strict action will be taken against anyone found responsible once investigations are completed.

Hospital fires are reported periodically across India, with many incidents linked to electrical faults and overloaded systems. Medical facilities are particularly vulnerable due to the heavy use of electrical equipment, oxygen systems and the presence of patients who cannot easily be moved during emergencies.

Several similar tragedies have occurred in recent years. In 2024, a fire in the neonatal intensive care unit of a medical college in Jhansi killed at least 10 newborn babies. In 2021, a blaze at Vijay Vallabh Hospital in Virar claimed the lives of 13 patients being treated for Covid-19. Another fire the same year at a newborn care unit in Bhandara district in Maharashtra killed 10 infants.

Authorities say investigations into the Odisha hospital fire are ongoing as officials work to determine the exact cause and ensure similar incidents are prevented in the future.

US President Donald Trump has called on allied nations to send naval forces to help secure the vital Strait of Hormuz following a series of attacks on commercial shipping linked to tensions with Iran.

Trump suggested that countries including the United Kingdom, Japan, China and South Korea could contribute warships to escort tankers through the narrow waterway.

However, defence analysts say the proposal may be premature, particularly as there is little indication that the conflict in the region is close to ending.

Even the United States Navy is not currently escorting tankers through the shipping corridor, which links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and serves as one of the world’s most important routes for oil exports.

The strait has become increasingly dangerous for commercial vessels, with several tankers already reported to have been struck while attempting to pass through the area.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron, president of France, said his country would be willing to deploy naval forces to the region but only for what he described as a “purely escort mission.”

Macron added that such a deployment would likely occur only after the most intense phase of the conflict had subsided.

Trump’s appeal for allied support comes despite comments he made last week suggesting the United States did not require additional military help from Britain.

At the time, Trump said the US did not need the UK to deploy an aircraft carrier to the region “after we’ve already won.”

The Royal Navy operates two aircraft carriers, including HMS Prince of Wales. The vessel has recently been placed on high readiness but is currently scheduled to sail to the North Atlantic rather than the Middle East.

At present, the Royal Navy has no warships directly stationed in the region. However, the destroyer HMS Dragon is on its way to provide additional air defence support for Cyprus as tensions continue to rise across the wider Middle East.

India’s highest court has rejected a petition seeking mandatory menstrual leave for working women and female students, saying such a policy could unintentionally reduce women’s employment opportunities.

A two-judge bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant at the Supreme Court of India said introducing compulsory menstrual leave could discourage employers from hiring women.

The judges warned that if the court mandated such a rule, “no-one will hire women,” adding that it might also lead young women to believe they were “not at par” with their male colleagues and could ultimately be harmful to their professional growth.

The court made the remarks while hearing a petition filed by lawyer Shailendra Mani Tripathi, who had called for a nationwide menstrual leave policy.

According to legal website LiveLaw, Tripathi had argued that working women should receive two to three days of leave each month to help manage menstrual pain and related health issues.

However, the judges said such a mandate could reinforce gender stereotypes and make employers in the private sector hesitant to recruit women.

They suggested that if such a policy were to be introduced, it should be developed by the government after consultation with stakeholders rather than imposed by the court.

The decision has once again reignited debate across India, where the topic of menstrual leave has long divided opinion.

Some supporters agree with the court’s view, arguing that additional leave specifically for women could create workplace inequality or discourage companies from hiring female employees.

Others say time off during painful periods would improve women’s health and dignity at work.

In many parts of India, menstruation still carries social stigma, with some women discouraged from entering temples or participating in certain activities during their periods.

Supporters of menstrual leave policies point out that several countries have already adopted similar measures, including Spain, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia.

Some Indian states have also introduced limited policies. Bihar and Odisha allow two days of menstrual leave per month for government employees, while Kerala offers similar provisions for university and industrial training institute staff.

Last year, the southern state of Karnataka approved a law granting one day of menstrual leave each month for women employees.

In recent years, several private companies across India have also adopted menstrual leave policies for their female staff, reflecting a gradual shift in workplace practices.