Baby left to die in drain: CWC fields over 100 calls for adoption

The child, named by hospital authorities after former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Sivan, was rescued by local police and is currently receiving care at Child PGI in Noida

The child welfare committee (CWC) on Wednesday said it has received over a 100 calls from families looking to adopt the five-day-old boy, who was found dumped in a drain in Sector 66, Noida, on Saturday with multiple injuries.

Support for the baby extends beyond prospective adoptive families, with hospital and police also receiving numerous calls from people simply expressing their interest in caring for the child. (HT Archive)

The child, named by hospital authorities after former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Sivan, was rescued by local police and is currently receiving care at Child PGI in Noida.

According to CWC, calls are pouring in from families looking to adopt him, ever since his rescue made the headlines, officials said.

“We are flooded with calls from people, couples wanting to adopt the child. However, as per Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) guidelines, a child can be adopted only at the age of three years and it will be processed in compliance with the norms,” said CWC chairperson, Dr KC Vermani.

Support for the baby extends beyond prospective adoptive families, with hospital and police also receiving numerous calls from people simply expressing their interest in caring for the child.

Meanwhile, officials at the Super Speciality Child Hospital and Post Graduate Institute (SSCHPGI) in Sector 30, said the newborn is receiving treatment and is under close monitoring in the neonatology department.

“The baby’s condition is stable, but we will only discharge him once he has fully recovered, which is expected to take at least a week,” Dr. Rai further added.

Meanwhile, resident doctors at SSCHPGI have named the baby Sivan, after former ISRO chief K Sivan.

“The baby has been named Sivan and we hope that he will achieve great things in life,” a doctor at Child PGI said, requesting anonymity.

The baby was found dumped in a drain in Sector 66 of Noida by commuters, who alerted the police, last week.

The baby, now a week old, was initially shifted to a super speciality hospital in Sector 71 and later referred to SSCHPGI for better treatment.

Station house officer (SHO), Phase 3, Noida, Vijay Kumar said, “As the baby was found abandoned in the drain, we were all disheartened but determined to get him to the hospital at the earliest to ensure that he receives the best treatment. His condition has improved since his rescue, and we remain in constant contact with the hospital staff at Child PGI for updates on his health.”

Noida police, meanwhile, said efforts are being made to access CCTV footage from the area near the drain to trace the people involved in dumping the newborn.