Baby girl abducted from Chennai hospital

The newborn is the second child of the couple, Manikandan and Indrani of Kalingarayan 1st street at Washermanpet nearby. On Tuesday, around 1.30 pm, the couple visited the hospital to avail the maternity assistance provided by the government for child born in government hospitals when the incident happened, police said. Another woman, who claimed to be pregnant, and a young boy were also waiting outside the block where the assistance was provided. She befriended the couple, police said.

Indrani initially went inside the building to enquire about the procedure while her husband stayed outside with the child. The woman, who according to the complainants appeared to be in her early 30s, befriended Manikandan asking him to guide the boy to an eatery nearby, police sources said. “She claimed to be from out of town and sought Manikandan’s help while offering to hold the child when Manikandan took the boy to the eatery,” an investigating officer said. Meanwhile, as Indrani returned and offered to take the baby, the woman asked her to get change for '100. As Indrani left the child in the woman’s custody to get the change, the other woman escaped with the child.

Alarmed, the couple approached the Royapuram police who have initiated investigations. “The CCTV cameras are present only inside the building. There are no cameras near the entrance, which can capture the woman’s movements,” R.Mohan, Royapuram inspector said. Royapuram police have registered a case and are investigating.