In 6 Hours, 20-day-old Girl stolen, Located and Returned
Mumbai (India):
In A six-hour drama on Thursday night, a 20-day-old baby girl was stolen, located and returned to her family in Mira Road. Meanwhile, a blame game has already begun concerning the disappearance of Riddhi Jain—one of a pair of twins born two months premature—from the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Mira Road’s Bhakti Vedanta Hospital.
As the police allege negligence on the part of the hospital, the official statement from the Bhakti Vedanta authorities allege that the incident was part of a plot orchestrated by the mother to ‘‘kidnap the baby out of the hospital.’’ According to the police, Riddhi’s mother Asha (23) finished feeding her at 8.30 pm and went downstairs for a walk and to meet some relatives.
When she returned an hour later, she found her baby missing and rushed to the hospital authorities. Soon after, Asha’s mother-in-law Santoshi (49) registered a complaint with the Kashimira police station. Meanwhile, Mira Road resident Vipul Modi found an abandoned baby at the railway station and handed her over to the station master. Later at home, he saw the news about Riddhi and rushed to Bhakti Vedanta Hospital to tell the authorities about his find.
‘‘We were investigating the matter here when the Modis told us about the baby,’’ said Assistant Police Inspector Vikas Chougule. Chougule added that he found the case to be one of negligence on the part of the hospital. ‘‘How can someone take a baby out of the NICU?’’ he asked.
‘‘While no one is beyond suspicion for us—we are even considering the possibility that the mother herself took the baby out—surely the hospital authorities, the liftman, the watchman and the ward boys should have asked her where she was taking a baby admitted to the hospital. No one even saw anyone leave with the child.’’ Meanwhile, the hospital’s official statement said the mother ‘‘mysteriously changed from patient clothes to saree’’ at 8 pm.
‘‘The story of how the baby reached the railway station from the NICU is a mystery... (as is) where the mother disappeared between 8.15 pm and 9.05 pm... (it) seems to be some kind of a plot to kidnap the baby out of the hospital,’’ the statement said. Riddhi’s grandfather Narendra Modi (52) said his daughter-in-law went down for a walk every day. ‘‘We are very happy to have Riddhi back. The police are investigating,’’ he added. A case of kidnap has been filed by Santoshi.
Oct 08, 2005
Mumbai Newsline, IndiaExpress News Service
Mumbai (India):
In A six-hour drama on Thursday night, a 20-day-old baby girl was stolen, located and returned to her family in Mira Road. Meanwhile, a blame game has already begun concerning the disappearance of Riddhi Jain—one of a pair of twins born two months premature—from the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Mira Road’s Bhakti Vedanta Hospital.
As the police allege negligence on the part of the hospital, the official statement from the Bhakti Vedanta authorities allege that the incident was part of a plot orchestrated by the mother to ‘‘kidnap the baby out of the hospital.’’ According to the police, Riddhi’s mother Asha (23) finished feeding her at 8.30 pm and went downstairs for a walk and to meet some relatives.
When she returned an hour later, she found her baby missing and rushed to the hospital authorities. Soon after, Asha’s mother-in-law Santoshi (49) registered a complaint with the Kashimira police station. Meanwhile, Mira Road resident Vipul Modi found an abandoned baby at the railway station and handed her over to the station master. Later at home, he saw the news about Riddhi and rushed to Bhakti Vedanta Hospital to tell the authorities about his find.
‘‘We were investigating the matter here when the Modis told us about the baby,’’ said Assistant Police Inspector Vikas Chougule. Chougule added that he found the case to be one of negligence on the part of the hospital. ‘‘How can someone take a baby out of the NICU?’’ he asked.
‘‘While no one is beyond suspicion for us—we are even considering the possibility that the mother herself took the baby out—surely the hospital authorities, the liftman, the watchman and the ward boys should have asked her where she was taking a baby admitted to the hospital. No one even saw anyone leave with the child.’’ Meanwhile, the hospital’s official statement said the mother ‘‘mysteriously changed from patient clothes to saree’’ at 8 pm.
‘‘The story of how the baby reached the railway station from the NICU is a mystery... (as is) where the mother disappeared between 8.15 pm and 9.05 pm... (it) seems to be some kind of a plot to kidnap the baby out of the hospital,’’ the statement said. Riddhi’s grandfather Narendra Modi (52) said his daughter-in-law went down for a walk every day. ‘‘We are very happy to have Riddhi back. The police are investigating,’’ he added. A case of kidnap has been filed by Santoshi.
Oct 08, 2005
Mumbai Newsline, IndiaExpress News Service
