New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS): A 23-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly stealing away a newborn girl from a government hospital here, police said on Friday, adding that the accused, who was unable to conceive, seized the opportunity to fulfill her desire for motherhood through unlawful means.

The incident came to light when a 19-year-old woman from Samaypur Badli approached the police on Wednesday, reporting that her newborn daughter had been abducted by an unknown woman from the Labour Ward of Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rohini, Guriqbal Singh Sidhu said that the new mother had given birth at the hospital, and the alleged kidnapping occurred shortly after.

During the probe, the police team analysed the CCTV footage of the cameras installed in and outside of the hospital. "In one of the CCTV footage, a woman was seen leaving the corridor of the labour ward of BSA Hospital with a newborn baby," he said.

Police also studied over 500 CCTV footage of possible routes in the vicinity.

"In one of the CCTV footage at Rohini West Metro Station, the woman concerned was seen boarding a red e-rickshaw with the kidnapped baby," said Sidhu.

The driver of the e-rickshaw was traced and questioned and told the police at at about 7 a.m. on Wednesday, he had dropped the woman, who was carrying a baby, near the main gate of ESI Hospital, Sector 15, Rohini.

"It was learnt that she had interacted with two persons in front of DTC Depot, Rohini. The police team traced both the persons and came to know that she had used their mobile phone for making a call.

"Finally, on the basis of technical surveillance, alleged Mamta (name changed), a resident of Badli was apprehended in the case and the kidnapped baby girl was recovered from her possession safely," the DCP added.