Charsadda Police arrested two women and two men after recovering a newborn baby girl who was kidnapped from the Women and Children Hospital on Friday morning.
On Monday, Superintendent of Police Investigation Ehsan Shah said during a press conference that the wife of Ibrahim, a resident of Najeemabad Sardheri, gave birth to a baby girl in the gynecology ward of the Women and Children Hospital who went missing on Friday.
A case of girl child abduction has been registered
SP Ehsan Shah said that the accused had a relationship with the mother-in-law who came with the pregnant woman through gossip. When the woman gave birth to a baby girl, the hospital staff handed over the baby girl to her mother-in-law. At the same time, the mother-in-law told the accused woman that she was going to pray and take care of the girl, so the accused woman took advantage of the opportunity and kidnapped the girl.
After receiving the information about the incident, the police started the investigation and got the CCTV footage promptly.
In the footage, it can be seen that a burqa-clad woman is carrying a newborn baby girl out of the hospital, after which the woman is seen disappearing.
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The senior officer said that the accused was arrested after an investigation. The accused had sold the girl through her mother-in-law and husband to a childless couple in Peshawar for Rs 30,000. Police have arrested two female sellers, one male and one male buyer while one female buyer is still absconding and raids are being conducted against her.
SP Ehsan Shah said that a case has been registered against the accused and they have been produced in the court.
How can such incidents be prevented?
Complainant Ibrahim said that on March 26, his wife gave birth to a baby girl at the Women and Children’s Hospital. His infant daughter went missing from the hospital three to four hours after birth, which was reported to him by the mother. When inquired with the hospital staff, they did not cooperate. After that, he registered a case at the city police station, on which the police started an operation and arrested the accused. The girl was recovered from the possession of the accused and handed over to them.
A senior Gynecologist of Charsadda Women and Children Hospital said on the condition of anonymity that there is strict monitoring in private hospitals to prevent such incidents as compared to government hospitals.
However, she said that there should be an effective mechanism in government institutions to avoid such painful incidents. Referring to a private hospital, the senior gynecologist said that a special tag is attached to the newborn baby and its mother without which the security guards do not allow any baby to leave the hospital.
She said that in some hospitals, children’s footprints or fingerprints are taken and checked at the gate. Similarly, cases of abduction of newborn babies from hospitals can be prevented.
SP Ehsan Shah also expressed his determination to work with the health department officials to make a plan that would keep the children safe.