DSP orders DNA test to find paternal link to baby in Vellore

Though the alleged father of the baby was convinced that his girl baby succumbed on Tuesday, the officials await the DNA result for assertion.

It all started when Kuselan (30), a lorry driver by profession and a resident of the Vellore Kaspa area, admitted his pregnant wife Bharathi (24), to Vellore Government Medical College Hospital for delivery on January 10. Bharathi gave birth to a baby girl after two days through C-section.

Around 2 pm on January 12, the maternity ward nurse informed the mother and her relatives that she gave birth to a healthy baby boy. The baby boy was show to the family members.

However, at 7.30 pm, to the shock the couple, they were told that there was a “mistake” and the mother gave birth to a baby girl. Moreover, they said that the girl baby was grossly underweight at 2 kilos and hence they have placed the baby for observation in the pediatric ICU.

Immediately, Kuselan and his relatives demanded an explanation. They stressed that all the new born infants should be kept at the hospital until their baby was showed to them.

Adding to the anguish, the underweight baby girl failed to respond to the treatment and succumbed on Tuesday.

Based on the information Vellore taluk police, DSP K Loganathan from Katpadi aided by Vellore taluk police conducted an enquiry with Kuselan and hospital staff including the labour room medical and paramedical personnel.

After the enquiry, Kuselan got convinced that the dead baby girl was theirs’ and accepted the baby. However, due to lack of evidence, the medical team decided to seek a DNA test to find the paternity of the dead baby.

The hospital staff said that they would seek a DNA test and the body of the baby will be placed in the mortuary till then, officials said.