RailEnquiry

HYDERABAD: Footage from a closed circuit television (CCTV) camera at the Secunderabad railway station helped police nab a woman who abducted a newborn baby from the Gandhi Hospital on Sunday. Within hours, the woman and her associate were arrested at the Tenali railway station and the baby boy was rescued.

Mary, 35, of Palakollu in West Godavari district, abducted a baby boy born to a couple, Sumitra and Manohar, at around 6.30 am. Natives of Kadapa, Manohar and his wife have been staying at Borabanda since the past few years and works as a private security guard in a local company.
Sumitra was admitted to Gandhi Hospital on Saturday morning and gave birth to a boy in the afternoon. Since the couple does not have relatives in the city, Sumitra did not have any female attendants with her at the hospital. After the delivery, Sumitra and the baby were shifted to the 'Delivery Ward' where men are not allowed. It was then that Mary approached Manohar saying she was an 'aaya' whose relative was admitted at the hospital and offered to help the couple.

She gained their confidence by taking care of the baby and the mother.

At 6.30 am on Sunday, Mary told Sumitra that Manohar wanted to see the boy. Believing her, Sumitra handed over the baby. But when Mary did not return even after 30 minutes, Sumitra grew restless and sent a message to her husband. Realising the turn of events,

Manohar searched Mary for more than an hour on the hospital premises before approaching the Chilakalguda police.

Based on the preliminary information, Chilakalguda police immediately dispatched five special teams to all railway and bus stations in the city. While examining the CCTV footage at the Secunderabad railway station, police officials identified a woman wearing a brown sari and carrying a baby wrapped in a green towel boarding the Janmabhoomi Express. With Manohar identifying the suspect, all railway and law and order police units on the train's route were alerted.

The train was approaching Tenali station when the alert was sent at 1.30 pm. The III Town police station cops scoured all the bogies once the train stopped and found Mary with the baby accompanied by one Naveen.

The duo was taken into custody and the baby was shifted to a local multi-specialty hospital for treatment as he was running a temperature. A special team was dispatched to Tenali to bring the culprits to the city.

The newborn would be brought to the city after his fever subsides.

Meanwhile in Tenali, Mary told the police that she had abducted the boy on the directions of Naveen. Chilakalguda police said the accused wanted to sell the boy, but added that the details would be known after a thorough interrogation. Based on a complaint lodged by Manohar, Chilakalguda police have registered a case under sections 363 (Kidnapping), 420 (Cheating) and 448 (Trespass) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).