HC panel suggests DNA test to clear baby-swap claims

Cuttack: A High Court appointed committee has suggested that deliveries in the labour room be videographed and forensic test of footprints of newborns be made immediately after birth to avoid baby swap claims. The suggestion came from an advocates committee appointed by the high court, which visited the S C B Medical College Hospital on Saturday where a woman has refused to accept a baby girl as her daughter.

The woman Rashmita Mallick of nearby Asureswar delivered a baby girl on March 30, but has refused to accept her after her mother-in-law claimed that she had seen her giving birth to a baby boy.

Rashmita`s husband has lodged a police complaint. The baby is being fed milk from other nursing mothers by hospital nurses.

The committee advised the hospital authorities to video record deliveries in the labour room henceforth along with statements of mothers.

"We have also advised the hospital authorities to send footprint impressions of a child for forensic test and introduce the system of maintaining baby tags in the labour room in future," amicus curie Pravat Ranjan Dash, who was among the committee, said.