BARIPADA: Unease prevailed at Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital at Baripada in Mayurbhanj district after a woman was caught red-handed while allegedly trying to steal a newborn baby from the maternity ward of the Mother and Child unit on Sunday.
Police arrested the accused woman, identified as Sandhyarani Mohanta (35), rescued the baby boy and handed him over to his mother. Mohanta is a resident of Rasgovindpur village in Moroda, around 30 km from Baripada town.
Sources said Mohanta came to the maternity ward and picked up the newborn when his mother was in the bathroom. She was fleeing with the baby when attendants of other patients caught her. The accused reportedly refused to give the baby back following which tension flared up in the ward.
On being informed, police reached the hospital to take stock of the situation. The baby was returned to his mother and Mohanta taken into custody.
Preliminary investigation suggested that the accused travelled a distance of around 30 km from her native village to steal the baby. She had planned to hand over the newborn to another person.
IIC of Baripada Town police station KK Rout said the accused woman was arrested after interrogation. “We are confused why the woman took such a step as she already has two kids. The footage of CCTV cameras installed on the hospital campus will be scanned to ascertain if the woman had any accomplice,” he said.
Rout further said the accused woman will be produced in court on Monday after completion of some formalities. Further investigation is underway.
Following the incident, senior officials and doctors of the MCH reached the Mother and Child unit and advised patients and attendants to remain alert and report any suspicious activity to the staff. Security was also heightened in the hospital building.