Newborn boy goes missing from Bhima Bhoi Medical, probe begins

Balangir: Tension prevailed at the Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital (BBMCH) in Balangir after a newborn boy allegedly went missing from the special newborn care unit (SNCU) of the hospital. One Sushil Swain of Baradipadar village in Boudh district had admitted his wife Jhumki Dalabehera at the obstetrics and gynaecology department of the hospital on Thursday. A baby boy was born to the couple this morning.

Shockingly, the couple was surprised when they could not get the baby. However, it is not yet clear under what circumstances the newborn went missing from the hospital.

“We admitted our relative yesterday and she gave birth to a baby boy today morning. The medical staff kept the child at the SNCU saying that the child will be kept under light as it is underweight. However, the child was missing when we went to inquiry about it,” alleged one of the relatives of the missing child.

After getting complaint from the couple, the hospital authorities started an investigation and verified the footages of the CCTV cameras installed in the hospital. From some CCTV images, they suspect a youth to have stolen the child.

“A male baby was kept at the SNCU after his birth this morning. The family members were told wait outside the SNCU as the doctor would decide whether the child be kept under any observation or given any treatment at the SNCU. However, when the doctor said that the child was fine and did not need any medication, the family members were asked to take the child. In the meantime a man along with a woman came and took the child saying it was their baby. Later, it was known that the baby was taken away by unknown persons,” informed BBMCH medical superintendent Mansi Panda.

“We have started an investigation and we are verifying the footages of the CCTV cameras identify the man,” she added.