Hyderabad: Constable Y. Priyanka, who rushed across the city to nurse a hungry two-month-old baby, said on Monday that she wished she could adopt Fatima Begum.
“I wish we can adopt the baby. We were fortunate to have helped a child in need and we thank god for providing us with such an opportunity,” Ms Priyanka, a constable with the Begumpet women’s police station, said while speaking to mediapersons. Nearly in tears, Ms Priyanka said, “She was like my own child and I did not treat her like an outsider.”
She said that Mr Md Irfan, who brought the baby to the police station, witnessed the goings on and asked, ‘police wale aise bhi hote hai kya? (Are police like this)’.
Ms Priyanka’s husband, Afzalgunj constable M. Ravinder, whose initiative helped the baby said, “As the father of a two-month-old son, I saw my own child in the baby when she was crying. I called my wife to come and feed her,” Mr Ravinder said.
“My wife said that she had just gone to bed when I called but upon hearing the baby crying over the phone, she also volunteered to come and help. The baby was fed for half an hour and stopped crying only then,” he said.
Baby Fatima’s father Feroz Khan is a property offender and whitener addict, and mother Shabana Begum is addicted to toddy. On Sunday night, in an inebriated condition, she handed Fatima to someone at the Hospital and forgot where she left her. The police reunited her with the family. The couple have another daughter, Samreen Begum, 5, Hyderabad police commissioner Anjani Kumar said.
Mr Kumar said Feroz Khan was arrested under IPC Section 379 for stealing a smartphone on December 10. Dr M. Chetana ACP, Sultan Bazaar, said doctors at the Petlaburj maternity hospital had checked baby Fatima before handing her over to her family. “We have warned the mother not to consume toddy and look after her children. We spoke to the elders of the family and counselled them. We hope the baby is taken care of,” Dr Chetana said.
The officials said this was a proud moment for women police officers and a great way to end the year. ‘This shows how policing can be done in a friendly way and that the cops are not someone whom the people have to fear,” they said.
