CHENNAI : A newborn baby was rescued from a storm water drain by residents of SVS Nagar, Valasaravakkam on Wednesday. With not even a cloth around it and its umbilical cord wrapped round its neck, a resident K Geetha managed to pull the child out safely.“When I kneeled and looked into the drain, I saw the baby lying in between two small pipes inside a cemented drain. He was covered with mud and small worms,” said Geetha, who volunteered to save the child when many residents were hesitant fearing legal problems. Police are yet to identify the child’s parents and how it landed in the drain.
After safely pulling out the child by his legs, Geetha disentangled the umbilical cord from around his neck and washed him with hot water. The residents named the baby ‘Sudandiram’ to coincide with Independence day.
Meanwhile, residents alerted police who took the child to a clinic at Chinaporur and later to Stanley Medical College and Hospital. The child is under the care of Government’s Cradle Baby Scheme (CBS).
Police said the CCTV installed in the area did not cover this particular spot because a vehicle was found parked close to it.
Police suspect the child was abandoned at the spot on Wednesday early morning. “We are checking the hospitals for deliveries and also scanning cctv in the locality. For now, the baby is healthy and is in hospital under medical care,” said a senior police officer. A case has been registered and investigation is on.