This article, based on a study by an alliance of NGOs called Child Deaths Study and Action Group (CDSAG), examines official statistics on child mortality rates in Maharashtra, juxtaposing them against the study’s own findings, which also measured the extent and causes of under-reporting of child deaths in the state. It discusses the discrepancies discovered between official figures and the study report, especially in the neonatal mortality rates. It also looks at the causes of child deaths reported by the study through its ‘social audit’, which seeks to trigger social and political forces to embark on corrective administrative action to improve reporting and reduce child mortality in Maharashtra.