Newborn girl found abandoned in Kerala’s Kollam

A five-day-old female infant was found abandoned near a house in Vilakkudy, in Kerala’s Kollam district in the wee hours of Wednesday. This reportedly happened around 1 am.

The residents of the house heard the newborn cry, and when they opened the door, found the baby wrapped in cloth in the verandah of the house. They informed a charity organisation nearby, Snehatheeram, which is a psycho social rehabilitation centre for intellectually disabled women.

The organisation’s workers have now shifted the baby to Punalur Taluk hospital. The baby is reportedly healthy and will be handed over to the Child Welfare Committee on Thursday.

"The child was wrapped in cloth. We immediately informed police and Panchayat authorities. I took the baby to a hospital," Sr Rosmin of Snehatheeram told the media.

Kunnikkode police have registered a case about the incident.

CCTV visuals from the street were checked by the police and reportedly showed a man abandoning the baby. The man reportedly waited for some time to ensure that no stray dogs attacked the newborn.

A few days ago, another newborn baby was found abandoned near a chapel in Vizhinjam.

The baby was reportedly two days old and was found healthy. She was found near Amalothbhava Matha Malankara Church's chapel. She was named Pratheeksha. Some of the locals first saw the baby and informed police.

In October 2019 a newborn girl was found abandoned on the door steps of Islahiya Masjid in Thiruvannur in Kozhikode. A note was also there with the baby saying that Allah gave the baby and they are giving it back to him.

These abandonments are happening despite Kerala having a cradle baby scheme called ‘Ammathottil’ which has been in place since 2002, under which electric cradles have been set up at some places in Kerala’s districts, except for Kozhikode.