Mother abandons newborn in toilet

Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 8

In a shocking incident, an unmarried woman delivered a girl in a toilet of a private clinic in Patran block and left the facility on Friday afternoon. 

The district police have booked the mother under Section 317 (Exposure and abandonment of child under twelve years by parent or person having care of it) of the Indian Penal Code.

Doctor at the clinic said the woman had arrived at the facility around 12.30 pm along with another woman and man. She went to the toilet along with the woman and then left the centre. 

Later, the hospital authorities noticed a newborn lying in a polythene bag in the toilet. They kept the child under observation.

Owner of the clinic, Dr Aman Sharma, said he immediately informed the police about the incident. Giving more information, Dr Sharma said the pregnant woman had complained of stomach ache. The clinic staff asked her to wait for a while until tests were conducted. 

However, the woman along with other lady locked herself in the toilet for 30 minutes and then left the clinic, said the doctor. His staff noticed newborn baby in the toilet and informed him, the doctor added.

"Last night, the newborn was admitted to the Government Rajindra Hospital for treatment. I want strict action against the suspect. Relatives of the suspect have approached us to withdraw the case, but I conveyed to them that such act needs to be punished," said Dr Sharma.

Meanwhile, the police failed to arrest the woman until Saturday afternoon. The Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Patran, Sukh Amrit Singh Randhawa, said, “A police team raided woman’s house but she was not found. We will soon trace her.”