DNA test to find out truth in Chamba child-swap case

Naresh Thakur

Chamba, March 5

After a probe committee failed to arrive at a conclusion in the Chamba child swapping case, the authorities at Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Government Medical College (PJNGMC) here have recommended a DNA test of the infants to ascertain their parentage.

Baby-tagging on cards

• After the controversy, the Chamba medical college authorities have decided to introduce arm-tagging system of newborns to prevent child swapping.
• Medical Superintendent Dr Bipin Thakur said some hospitals in the state had the baby-tagging system in place and it would soon be introduced in PJNGMC.
• For time being, he said, a temporary tagging system was being used for which the hospital staff is using sticking plaster and writing names of newborns’ parents on it.
• In 2016, a case of child swapping was reported from Kamla Nehru Hospital in the state capital.
• Following a judicial intervention and subsequent DNA test, the children were returned to the right families after five months.

The matter has now been forwarded to the police for further action.

“Since it is a medico-legal issue, further process will be carried out by the police,” said PJNGMC Medical Superintendent Dr Bipin Thakur.

He said a four-member panel was formed to probe the allegations of child swapping and the report stated that no conclusive proof was found.

Dr Thakur said they would collect the samples from both families the day the police would send them a request for the DNA test.

“The samples from the babies and both the couples would be sent to the forensic science laboratory. It may take about a month for the result to come,” he said.

Lata Devi, a woman from Sanwal panchayat of Churah subdivision, and her relatives had created a ruckus at PJNGMC on April 2, alleging child swapping by the hospital staff.

Lata Devi (28) and Rekha (22) of Kugti village in Bharmour subdivision had given birth to male children at the Chamba medical college five minutes apart on March 28.

The Churah family alleged child swapping, but was pacified by the staff and relatives of another women.

Both women went home after discharge by the hospital authorities.

However, Lata Devi’s family returned to the Chamba medical college five days later and lodged a complaint with the hospital authorities alleging child swapping after which the probe committee was formed.

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