Woman entrusts infant at GTB Hospital to veiled stranger, alleges abduction

New DelhiA 25-year-oldwoman visiting the Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital on Thursday morning to get her one-month-old infant examined by a doctor alleged her child was kidnapped by a woman seated near the pharmacy around noon, when she went to drink water, according to an FIR filed by the police

New Delhi

Hospital staff said they are looking into the matter and clarified that CCTV footage was not available for the area where the alleged incident took place. (Representative photo)

A 25-year-oldwoman visiting the Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital on Thursday morning to get her one-month-old infant examined by a doctor alleged her child was kidnapped by a woman seated near the pharmacy around noon, when she went to drink water, according to an FIR filed by the police.

Hospital staff said they are looking into the matter and clarified that CCTV footage was not available for the area where the alleged incident took place.

“We have inquired and found that neither the mother nor the child was admitted to the hospital; they mostly likely were outpatients. We will cooperate with the police and provide all possible help,” a hospital official, asking not to be named, said.

This is the second incident reported from the hospital in the past six months. In June, police registered a kidnapping case following a complaint by Mohd Shewaaz, 23, who alleged that his son had gone missing from the hospital premises.

In her complaint to the police, the woman, Saloni, a resident of Nand Nagri, said that after consulting with a doctor, she was waiting near the pharmacy to collect medicines around 12.30pm when the alleged perpetrator, wearing a veil, started a conversation with her. She reportedly asked the woman to hold her child for when she went to get water, but found them both missing upon her return.

The FIR, a copy of which was accessed by HT, read, “On Thursday at approximately 10:30 AM, I arrived at the MCH Building of GTB Hospital to have my son, ‘Laddu’ (aged 1.5 months), examined by a doctor. After obtaining a medical slip and having my son examined, I went to the GTB Hospital pharmacy to collect the prescribed medication. Due to heavy rain outside, I remained indoors with my child.”

“Shortly thereafter, a woman wearing a black burqa (veil) sat down next to me and asked where I lived. I replied that I live in C-3 Block, Nand Nagari; she claimed to reside in the same area. We engaged in casual conversation for some time. Feeling thirsty, I asked her for some water, but she made an excuse and declined. At approximately 12:30 PM, I entrusted my child to this woman and went to fetch some water. Upon returning five minutes later, I discovered that neither my child nor the woman in the burqa was there,”

She said the child had been wrapped in a pink blanket with a white border. “I searched for my child extensively in the vicinity but could not find him,” she alleged.