The police arrested a woman accused of stealing a new born boy from the Government Hospital in Athani on Wednesday.
Members of a family from Ainapur village complained to the police saying that their infant was kidnapped by a person claiming to be a nurse in the taluk hospital.
The accused took away the new born baby saying that it has to weighed. The nurse was wearing an apron on a red dress and also a face mask. She asked the infant’s mother, who was feeling sleepy, whether she had received the Taayi card that enables her to get government benefits and what was the weight of the baby.
Police officers who screened CCTV footage identified the accused by her dress and demeanour. They knew she was a resident of Athani and inspected her house. However, she was missing. Investigators realised that she had taken the baby across the border to Maharashtra.
The accused was found in Maishal village in Sangli district of Maharashtra. The infant was rescued and the accused arrested in a few hours of the offence. The identity of the accused has been held back to enable further investigation, officers said.
Superintendent of Police Sanjiv Patil congratulated the team of officers led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Sripad Jille, Circle Inspector Ravindra Naikodi and others for the quick resolution of the case.
Director-General and Inspector-General of Police Praveen Sood has sent a letter to congratulate the team and announced an award of ₹20,000 to the team, Dr. Patil said.
“We are sending out letters to government and private hospitals with requests to strengthen their security systems,’’ the Superintendent of Police said.
“We have asked them to issue identity cards to all staff, maintain a register of all persons who enter and exit hospitals and to monitor all movements by setting up CCTVs in all wards, doors and entry and exit points. Apart from this, hospitals will have to work with local police officers regularly to assess their security preparedness,’’ he said.
