COIMBATORE: Officials of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and Coimbatore city police are in a fix to find the mother who abandoned her five-month-old baby in crowded bus in Gandhipuram on January 20.

The baby’s mother boarded the bus and gave her child to a seated woman, before alighting clandestinely. Even though the baby’s father has arrived and claims custody, after the woman passenger handed over the baby at Race Course police station, authorities do not want to proceed further without tracing the mother.

Even as police commenced an inquiry to find out the baby’s mother, the infant’s father Rajan (32) turned up before authorities of CWC at the district collector office on Monday. He furnished documents to prove his paternity. An inquiry by police revealed that Rajan, a native of Thrissur in Kerala and Divya, from Tiruchy entered into wedlock after being in love despite opposition from their families. They were staying in a rented house in Coimbatore after marriage.

Police said the couple had frequent quarrels over domestic issues. Last week Rajan had gone to Thrissur and couldn’t contact Divya on her mobile number which was turned off. He claimed to be shocked on coming across social media posts with photos of his baby being abandoned in a bus.

Police said Rajan came down to Coimbatore from Thrissur and urged authorities to hand over the baby to him.

“But the baby was not given to him. His wife will also be summoned for an inquiry by police before arriving at a decision as to whom the baby should be given,” said a police official.