In a remarkable display of efficiency, the Dhanbad police successfully recovered a stolen newborn baby within a mere 24 hours of the crime being reported from the government-run Shri Nirmal Mahto Memorial College and Hospital (SNMMCH). The police have arrested four individuals involved in what they have termed an "inhuman crime."
A Swift Police Operation Unfolds
The incident, which sowed panic across the hospital premises, was cracked by a special police team formed immediately after the complaint was lodged. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Prabhat Kumar emphasized the seriousness with which the case was handled, stating it was not a common theft but a deeply inhuman act. The police's rapid action led to the safe recovery of the infant from the Bhuli area and the arrest of all accused.
Addressing the media at the Saraidhela police station, SP (City) Ritvik Srivastava revealed the shocking motive behind the crime. Investigations indicated that the kidnapping was orchestrated to provide a child to an infertile couple. The main accused, Abhilasha Singh and her husband Kaushal Kumar Singh, residents of Bhuli, allegedly contacted Ishtiyak Ansari and Hasimuddin Ansari to procure a newborn.
The Planned Crime and Crucial Evidence
A deal was reportedly struck for Rs 3 lakh, with an advance of Rs 80,000 paid in cash and a cheque of Rs 70,000. The remaining amount was to be paid upon delivery of the child. The execution took place on Saturday night when the accused managed to steal the baby from the hospital ward.
CCTV footage from SNMMCH proved to be a critical piece of evidence, clearly capturing Abhilasha Singh carrying the baby out of the hospital premises. The accused then used a white car to transport the infant to a house in Bhuli, which was later recovered by the police. All four accused have been remanded to judicial custody.
How the Theft Transpired and Aftermath
According to hospital records, Sarita Devi, a resident of Bhelwe village in the Maniadih area, had given birth to a male child on December 24. The theft occurred when a woman, posing as a member of the hospital staff, took the baby from the mother's lap under the pretext of a medical examination. When she failed to return for an extended period, the distressed mother alerted the nursing staff, though her initial concerns were not taken seriously immediately.
The gravity of the situation became fully apparent the next morning, prompting hospital authorities to formally alert the police. A case was registered on Sunday at the Saraidhela police station on the complaint of SNMMCH superintendent Dinesh Prasad Gindoria under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The recovered newborn has been safely reunited with his grateful parents, bringing a tense episode to a close.
