Day-old boy stolen from Mumbai Hospital

A day-old boy was allegedly stolen from the Wadia Maternity Hospital, Parel, on Wednesday evening from the postpartum ward. HT reports

A day-old boy was allegedly stolen from the Wadia Maternity Hospital, Parel, on Wednesday evening from the postpartum ward. This is one of the few incidents at a public charitable hospital where the child has been stolen from the wards. Hospital sources said there is very little security at the hospital.

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The incident occurred around 5.30 pm, during visiting hours, when the mother of the child, Jasmin Devdas Naik, 28, was taking a walk inside ward number 10 on the first floor of the hospital along with her mother Sunita Mahapankar. A woman in an orange sari and a black scarf over her head allegedly entered the ward, picked up the infant and walked away, the Bhoiwada police said.

“We ordered a nakabandi at railway stations and all roads near the hospital. We are investigating the claims and are trying to trace the accused. A sketch of the suspect is also being made,” said Vikram Patil, senior inspector of Bhoiwada police. Patil confirmed that there was no Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) camera at the hospital.

Jasmin’s brother, Abhishek Mahapankar said, “My sister Jasmin who underwent a C-section surgery on Tuesday was asked to take a walk by the doctor. She was just a few cots away from the child with my mother when the child was stolen.” The child’s father works in Dubai.

Hospital sources said the hospital is manned by barely 10-12 security guards on three floors. “The maternity and children’s hospital is in one building and there is a huge crowd to handle, especially during visiting hours. There is no dedicated security guard outside the labour ward and the children’s ward, which is the case at civic hospitals,” said a source from the hospital.