Good Samaritans rescue newborn from pile of garbage in Palghar

The girl was covered in muck from the nearby drain and was crying non-stop

An abandoned newborn was recused from a mound of garbage by two Palghar residents on Monday night. The girl is now under observation at a private hospital.

The baby is in the hospital and after seeking permission from Palghar court, she will be handed over to a government child care home. (Pic for representation)

Sanjay Meher and Kundan Churi, residents of Vadrai village in Palghar, were returning home after work when they saw people gathering near a pile of garbage at Bhendipada. Upon closer inspection, they saw a newborn covered in muck from the nearby drain.

“I cleaned the baby and wrapped it in my shirt,” said Churi.

They rushed the baby to Mahim PHC, Palghar, for treatment. However, on-duty medical official Dr Kalpana Mavchi asked them to shift the baby to Dr Dhawale Charitable Hospital as the newborn needed immediate paediatric care. Meanwhile, other hospital staff informed API Siddhawa Jaybhaye from Kelwe Coastal police station about the baby. Jaybhaye accompanied Churi and Meher to the second hospital, where she signed the consent form and agreed to pay the medical bill.

However, even before the paperwork was completed to admit the baby in the NNICU, Dr Amar Tupkar, a consulting paediatrician at the hospital, started treatment. He even told the hospital that he would not charge consulting fee. Doctors said they had to remove the crudely cut umbilical cord, which was stuck to the baby’s stomach.

Satpati Coastal Police have registered a case under Section 317(abandonment of child) of the Indian Penal Code against the baby’s biological parents, said API Mansinh Patil.

“The baby was barely hours old when it was dumped. We are taking help of midwives and anganwadi workers in the area to find out recent child births. Also, cash reward has been announced for those giving us credible information. We are also scanning birth records at government and private maternity hospitals. The baby is still in the hospital and after seeking permission from Palghar court, she will be handed over to a government child care home,” Patil added.