Search on for stolen baby boy

The infant boy who was allegedly stolen from the Sambalpur District Hospital is yet to be found and the police have formed four squads to trace him.

"Apart from the squads, 20 police personnel have also been engaged. CCTV footages of Sambalpur railway station are being verified. All the police stations in the district besides neighbouring districts have been alerted," Additional Superintendent of Police DR Ray said today.

The photograph of the suspected woman has been uploaded in the district portal and provided to the crime branch, Ray said.

Parents of the newborn, who was stolen from the gynaecology ward of Sambalpur District Headquarter Hospital have refused to leave the hospital premises without the baby.
 

Aniruddha Majhi, father of the newborn said, "My son has been stolen from the hospital. I along with my wife, Geetanjali will not leave the hospital until we get our baby back."

Aniruddha had admitted his wife to the hospital on Wednesday. She gave birth to a baby boy the next day but the newborn was allegedly stolen from the hospital in the early hours on Friday by a woman.

The hospital authorities today disengaged two security guards on charges of dereliction in duty.

Chief District Medical Officer Kodanda Rao said, "A departmental inquiry has already begun and action will be taken against the staff, who are found responsible."

District Collector Samarth Verma visited the hospital, met the infant's mother and assured her that all steps would be taken to trace the baby.

Meanwhile, two stolen newborns, who were rescued by police earlier this month were handed over to their biological parents today.

The parents of the babies were identified in a DNA test that was held following a court order.

The babies (both boys) were stolen from the gynaecology department of the hospital on two separate days.

While a three-day-old infant boy went missing on January 5 this year, another seven-day-old baby boy was stolen on March 8.

Cuttack Additional Commissioner of Police Seetaram Satpathy said the babies were being looked after by the SCB Medical College and Hospital.

The city police had on March 11 rescued the two babies from separate locations near the city and arrested four persons including a woman, who was the mastermind and masqueraded as a social health activist to steal the babies.