Infant abandoned by the road in Telangana, rescued by locals and police

The incident came to light after locals heard the cries of the infant, coming from a carry bag.
Child abuse
Child abuse
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A newborn baby girl was abandoned on the road near a village in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district on Wednesday. The incident happened near Kongareddypalli village in Vangoor mandal in the district and came to light after locals heard the cries of the infant, coming from a carry bag.  Local police shifted the infant to a hospital, where she was given first aid. Later, district Child Welfare officials shifted the infant to a state-run ‘Shishu Vihar’.

According to Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) project officials, the infant’s health is stable and proper medical attention was being given.

Speaking to TNM, Vangoor Sub-Inspector (SI) of Police, Balakrishna, said that the infant was provided with first aid at a hospital in Kalwakurthy before ICDS officials took over.

The SI said, "We are verifying CCTV footage in the area and neighborhood and enquiring about any suspicious movement of people. Local health workers and Anganwadis are also helping us in tracing the biological mother of the infant."

He further stated that a case under Section 317 (Exposure and abandonment of a child under twelve years) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered.

SI Balakrishna said that the infant could have been abandoned as it was a girl-child, given such incidents that took place in the district in the past.

District Welfare Officer (DWO) Prajwala Kolukula told TNM that the infant was luckily not exposed to wild or stray animals.The officer said, "The infant was given medical care.She has been shifted to Shishu Vihar, where she will be taken care of."

In 2019 too, several incidents of infants being abandoned were reported in the district. 

When asked about the occurrence of such incidents in the district, Prajwala said that they have generally found it to be either families not wanting a girl child or undesired pregnancy of unwed mothers.

According to her, they have rescued 37 children in the last four years of which most of them are girl children. The DWO said that at least 9 babies were rescued when they were abandoned while the remaining were taken into their care after the biological parents relinquished them. 

In order to prevent such acts in the district, officials have approved a Uyala (Cradle) programme where biological parents can leave babies that they can’t care for, in a cradle kept in government area hospitals, from where ICDS and Child Welfare officials will take care of them. 

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