A court-ordered DNA test will bring the curtains down on a 21-year-old "lost and found" tale straight out of a Bollywood film.
The story began on December 18, 1990. Kerala University professor Sarala Kumari, now 60, had just given birth to a girl child, who died of infection hours later.
Over the last two decades, she and her husband, who live on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram, had reconciled to their childless existence.
Then, Kumari received an anonymous letter earlier this year saying she had given birth to a boy, who was swapped with the baby girl, and that her son, now 21, was living with his foster parents.
After the initial shock, Kumari made inquiries with people who were associated with the now-shuttered Gee Gee Hospital, where she had undergone a caesarian section, but failed to get a satisfactory reply.
Her investigations led her to the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation's birth registry, where she found that a boy had been born at Gee Gee Hospital - to a couple from Varakala, 40 km north of the state capital - at about the same time as her "daughter".
Kumari moved court last month. On November 12, the Thiruvananthapuram additional judicial magistrate ordered DNA tests on her and the 21-year-old man.
{{/usCountry}}Kumari moved court last month. On November 12, the Thiruvananthapuram additional judicial magistrate ordered DNA tests on her and the 21-year-old man.
{{/usCountry}}The police have also entered the scene.
"We have registered a case (following the court order) against the (now closed) hospital and the nurse who attended on her (Kumari) 21 years ago. We are yet to locate the nurse, though," said inspector A Pramod Kumar who is investigating the case.
The last act of this drama will play out shortly.