SAMBALPUR: An abandoned newborn baby was rescued on Tuesday by the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) and Childline from Mahulduma village in Kansar panchayat of Deogarh district.
The infant, a boy, was originally discovered in a forest area near Kasada village under Jamanakira police limits of Sambalpur.
According to reports, the infant was found on Monday by Sanjukta Nayak, a local woman who was collecting kendu leaves in the forest. After hearing faint cries of a baby near a bush, she discovered the newborn wrapped in cloth. Nayak brought the infant to her home.
Her younger sister, Sasmita Nayak, who is reportedly childless, became emotionally attached to the baby and insisted on keeping it. She brought him to their residence in Kansar. On Tuesday, a villager informed the childline.
On the direction of district child protection officer, Romeo Mohapatra, a team led by officer Kranti Manjari Dhaulia with members Suryakanti Bharsagar, Karishma Mahakul, Sujit Nayak, and Sumitra Tirkey, visited the village. With support from local anganwadi and ASHA workers, the team safely rescued the infant from Sasmita Nayak.
The baby, weighing 1.7 kg has been admitted to the special newborn care unit (SNCU) at Deogarh district headquarters hospital (DHH) and is in a stable condition.
Officials said that, once the infant’s health stabilises, he will be presented before the child welfare committee. A 30-day public notice will be issued seeking any legal claimants. If no one comes forward, the child will be placed in institutional care and made available for legal adoption as per legal procedures.