TV
A couple from Chhattisgarh on Tuesday alleged that their newly-born infant was stolen from VIMSAR, Burla.
As per sources, an unknown woman developed acquaintances with the infant’s mother, who was from Chhattisgarh. At about 2 pm or 2.30 pm, the one-and-a-half-day-old infant was seen last time with the unknown woman. At 3 pm when the woman’s husband came with food, he didn’t find their baby. When he asked his wife, she said their baby might be with that woman on the verandah. They searched for her but couldn’t find anywhere.
With no option left, they lodged a complaint with the police.
“I went to have lunch. When returned with food for my wife, I found the woman carrying the baby. While my wife was having her food, she was taking care of it. Then she went out of the room. As the baby was being breastfed every five minutes, I thought she would bring the baby to its mother. When she didn’t turn up even after a long time, I launched a frantic search for the baby and the woman,” said the father of the missing baby.
“It was around 3 pm. My sister and brother-in-law were with the woman. When I returned after having food, my sister asked me about the baby. I told her she should know about it. She told the woman was carrying the baby. Then we started searching for her,” said the missing infant’s aunt.
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Acting on the complaint, Burla IIC and Burla SDPO along with their teams reached the spot and launched an investigation.
The police have scanned the footage of the CCTV cameras installed in and outside the hospital premises and along the roads as well and launched a manhunt for the woman, sources added.
Informing about the investigation so far, Sambalpur Additional SP said, “Our four teams have already started working. We have shared the lady’s CCTV video with the 23 naka posts and alerted them. They are checking each and every vehicle. Our first priority is to trace the baby out and then we will find out who is responsible for this incident.”
“The woman first developed a friendship with the baby’s aunt. When the baby started crying, she with their permission took her out and then went out of the hospital. In the CCTV footage, she is clearly seen. As per the instruction of the IIC, we have shared the footage with the ASHA and Anganwadi groups. I am sure the baby will be traced out,” said VIMSAR Director Prof Dr Bhabagrahi Rath.
However, the recent baby theft incident has raised many eyebrows as this is not the first such incident. In the past, baby girl missing and baby swapping cases had rocked VIMSAR. Such incidents are happening despite the entire hospital premise is under CCTV surveillance and there is deployment of security personnel.
