Posing as doctor Kerala woman steals newborn from hospital, gets caught

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 7 (IANS) Things did not go as what 33-year-old Neetu Raj had planned and in a matter of two hours was put behind bars for stealing a baby from hospital.Around 3.20 p.m. on Thursday, the woman dressed as a doctor arrived at a the gynaecology ward at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital and after examining a three-day old baby of Sreejith and Aswathy, told the latter that the child had jaundice and to be taken for further treatment.Aswathy handed over the baby to Raj and after an hour when the new mother could not find her baby, reported the matter. The authorities swung into action after realising that the baby was stolen.The police also swung into action and acting on a tip from an auto driver, Raj was traced down to a nearby hotel and was taken into custody.On Friday morning, Raj revealed what she was up to and according to her own statement, about which the police informed the media, Raj was a resident at Kochi and was working in an event management company.She, although married to a man working in the Middle East, was in love with a lorry-driver, named Ibrahim, for the past nearly two years.The police said that Raj became pregnant and when she became doubtful about Ibrahim's commitment, she thought of playing a prank on him and worked out her plan to steal the baby. In between Raj's pregnancy got aborted but she withheld this information from Ibrahim and his parents.And in order to keep the relationship going on, she arrived at the Kottayam Medical College hospital, took the baby and clicked pictures of the newborn and informed Ibrahim and his parents that she had delivered the baby and also made a video call to them.As soon as she was over with her act, the police came. After detailed questioning, she was taken into custody and her arrest has now been recorded, said Kottayam Superintendent of Police (SP) D.Shilpa to the media on Friday.The police initially took Ibrahim into custody, and after finding his no involvement in the act let him off.State Health Minister Veena George, meanwhile, has ordered a probe into the incident and has instructed officials to enhance the security at all state run hospitals.
--IANS sg/dpb

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