Nabarangpur: A woman in Rengaguda village under Koshagumuda block of Nabarangpur district on Sunday threatened to commit suicide in case the baby boy she reportedly found abandoned on a farm land on last Wednesday is not returned to her.
As per reports, the woman identified as Sunatai Harijan from Rengaguda village had reportedly found a baby boy lying abandoned on a field while she was out to relieve herself. She brought the baby to her home and decided to adopt him as her son.
However, upon getting the information, the District Child Safety Officer recovered the baby from Sunatai and admitted him to the SNCU of the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) in Nabarangpur on Thursday leaving her heartbroken.
Sunatai who now claims to be mother of the baby boy has launched a indefinite protest outside the hospital seeking administrative help in getting the baby back.
Sunatai says that no one can separate her from the baby boy. "The Child Welfare Committee took away the baby forcefully citing his health issues. I tried to convince them against it, but all my requests fell in deaf ears and they finally took away my baby." rued a teary-eyed Sunatai.
"The CWC members said that even if I found the baby, I cannot keep it. If I do not get the custody of my baby, I will commit suicide in front of them," threatened Sunatai.
Even the locals and social activists seconded the aggrieved woman's demand. Kadambini Tripathy, a social activist said, "Sunatai provided the baby with motherly love and nurtured him for 24 hours. I think she should be given the baby's custody."
However, the CWC members had a completely different take on the matter. Denying Sunatai's claim on the baby, District Child Protection Officer, Suresh Patnaik said, "Sunatai will not be allowed to keep this baby. The baby can be given for adoption if any other couple applies for the same as per the government norms."
(Edited By Suryakant Jena)