Delhi: 2 men kidnap child, abandon her later

Even as police were responding to the distress call, a few minutes later they received another call about a baby found at a temple near Daulat Ram College, five kilometres from the abduction spot

The one-month-old daughter of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) youth wing leader was kidnapped outside the Jhandewalan Mandir in central Delhi by two motorcycle-borne men, who abandoned the infant at a temple a few kilometres away minutes later.

The baby’s father, a member of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), BJP’s youth wing, said the abduction occurred when his wife and their domestic help were leaving the Jhandewalan Mandir.

“On February 8, we received two PCR calls at 5.16pm and 5.21pm regarding the snatching of a girl child from Rani Jhansi Road. Sensing the gravity and sensitivity of the call, several police teams swung into action. In the meantime, we learnt that a call regarding the discovery of an abandoned child near Shani Mandir, Mauris Nagar, was received at Child Helpline 1098. The mother of the missing child was taken there and the child was identified as her daughter. A case under Section 363 of the IPC was registered and further investigation is in progress,” DCP (Central) Shweta Chauhan said.

Police are yet to ascertain the identity of the alleged abductors, the motive behind the kidnapping and the reason behind the infant’s abandonment.

Her father, a member of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the BJP’s youth wing, said that his daughter was abducted when his wife and their domestic help were leaving the Jhandewalan Mandir around 4.30pm. “Two men wearing helmets and riding a motorcycle snatched the baby from my wife’s arms and rode away. The registration number plate of their motorcycle was bent and not visible,” he alleged.

Even as the police responded to the distress call, police received another call about a baby found outside a temple near Daulat Ram College, about five kilometres from the abduction spot, a few minutes later. It didn’t take them long to establish that it was the same infant. “She was back with us in less than an hour,” said the father.

He said he couldn’t immediately think of anyone as a suspect or of a reason for the abduction.

The child appeared physically safe and was taken by the police for medical examination, he said.