Infant abducted from MGMGH rescued within hours, woman arrested

A three-day-old male baby. who was abducted from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) in Tiruchi on Saturday morning. was rescued near Thammampatti in Salem district within hours of the incident.

The police arrested a 38-year-old woman in connection with the case.

The infant was born on February 11 to Suganya, 30, and Vignesh of Veeramachanpatti near Thuraiyur at MGMGH. According to the police, the accused, identified as S. Meenakshi from Thammampatti in Salem district, had been staying at the hospital for the past three days, claiming to be seven months pregnant and undergoing treatment for haemoglobin deficiency.

Police sources said the woman befriended Suganya during her stay at the hospital. On Saturday, around 7 a.m., she allegedly took the baby under the pretext of getting him vaccinated. When she failed to return for a long time, the parents grew anxious and alerted the hospital authorities.

A complaint was lodged at the GH police station, following which a case of missing child under Section 137 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered. Special police teams were formed to trace the infant. CCTV footage from the hospital premises showed the woman walking out with the baby and later boarding an autorickshaw.

Based on the footage and clues from the autorickshaw driver, who dropped her at Tiruverumbur, the police tracked the suspect and rescued the infant near Thammampatti within five hours. The baby’s health condition was checked at a nearby health centre before being handed over to the mother.

During preliminary inquiry, Meenakshi reportedly told the police that she did not have a child and resorted to the act out of desperation. Further investigation is under way.