Mumbai Crime: Five-day-old boy stolen from cradle at Nair hospital

CCTV grab of the woman who allegedly stole the baby

A woman was arrrested by the Agripada police and is presently being questioned after a five-day-old boy was stolen from the BMC-run BYL Nair Hospital on Thursday evening. The woman stole the infant from ward no 7, situated on the third floor. The Agripada police had first registered a case against the woman.

The accused woman went to VB Desai Hospital, Santacruz, claiming that she delivered the baby boy at home. Security began suspecting the woman and took her to the casualty ward. When a detailed medical examination was done, the doctors realised that she was lying. Meanwhile, a constable saw the message circulated by Agripada police about a baby being stolen from Nair Hospital. He then informed the Agripada police, who rushed to the hospital along with the baby's father and confirmed that the child was stolen. The woman, identified as Hejal Kotiya, is a resident of Nalasopara. Agripada police are probing the motive behind the crime.

Sheetal Salve, a resident of Dahisar, had given birth to a boy on June 8. She was admitted in ward no. 7 at the hospital. Around 5.30 pm, when Sheetal was asleep, an unknown woman, apparently picked up the child from the cradle in which baby had been placed and walked out of the hospital.

A cop with the baby boy who was stolen

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"It was visiting hours and the ward was full of relatives. But, it is still surprising how the woman managed to steal the infant. She went down by lift and walked out of the premises," said a cop from Agripada Police station, on condition of anonymity.

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The police are trying to gather CCTV footage to check the route the woman took after leaving the hospital. Ramesh Bharmal, dean of the hospital, remained unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts.

The accused

Inputs from Vinod Kumar Menon

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