Chennai: Mother exchanges new-born for job in Gulf; infant rescued

The baby was taken away by a female broker from Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital. A special team is said to have rushed to Salem to rescue the child.

Police said that Manimegalai of Cheyyar in Tiruvannamalai district gave birth to a baby girl at the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, Egmore, a few days ago. Since she was alone in the hospital, allegedly owing to a quarrel with her husband Annamalai, a staff member in the hospital, Subhathra, convinced her to give the new-born in adoption in return for a job in the Gulf.

Manimegalai reportedly agreed to the trade-off after a few days. On Monday, Subhathra took Manimegalai to RGGGH on the pretext of getting a check-up to obtain medical certificate. As soon as she entered the ward, Subhathra escaped with the child. When Manimegalai returned after completing her tests, she found that Subhathra and her baby were missing. She filed a kidnap complaint at the RGGGH police station.

The police traced Subhathra within hours. During inquiry, the accused is said to have admitted to having kidnapped the baby and handed her over to an advocate called Manimegalai in Salem.

Subhathra reportedly told the police that the advocate’s driver and she met at the hospital, where the driver’s wife had also come for delivery. He allegedly told Subhathra that the advocate – whose name is also Manimegalai – was childless and wanted to adopt a baby. Police sources said that the broker targeted Manimegalai’s baby, as the paperwork would be easier because the advocate had the same name. RGGGH Dean Narayana Babu said that the child has been traced, and a police team rescued the infant from Salem. Subhathra has been arrested and further investigations are on.