Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)
Kundapur, Aug 4: The newborn that was rescued from Imbu area located in Mookambika sanctuary within Jansal in Chittoor gram panchayat limits in the taluk after it went through the ordeal of getting to battle with inclement weather conditions, insects, and hunger, is hale and hearty now.
The baby is safe in a hospital here, and surgeon of the hospital, Dr Dinesh Kumar, has informed that the baby had some worms in its ears as it remained in the forest for long, and that this condition stands treated after a surgery was conducted.
A minor girl living in Koodlu in Kanyana Guddeangady within Hattiangady gram panchayat in the taluk had given birth to this girl child. Immediately after the child was born inside the forest, it was abandoned there by its mother, who was also accompanied by her mother. The child was rescued by some journalists after coming to know about the incident, but by then the child had suffered in the open due to rain and hunger.
Tahsildar,Gayatri Nayak, and deputy superintendent of police, C B Patil, said they have given the name, 'Panchami', to the girl as she was born on the auspicious day of Nagara Panchami festival. Police circle inspector, P M Diwakar, along with Gayatri Nayak and C B Patil, have been making efforts to convince the mother of the child, who has so far remained stoic and non-committal, to change her decision and allow the child to stay and grow with her.
It may be recalled that the unmarried minor girl stated above had become pregnant, and the fellow villagers had taken note of this development. The fact that the girl along with her mother had visited deep forests after she started to get labour pain, and that she had come back within hours without being accompanied by a baby, had surprised them. After some local journalists were alerted about this development, they had visited the forest area with the help of the driver of the vehicle by which the duo had travelled, and found the baby crying in the forests, but by then around 30 hours had elapsed since the baby made its appearance on earth.
The mother of the baby is now suffering on account of acute bleeding. She stands admitted into the government hospital here. The child has since been kept with its mother, and the mother has been instructed to breastfeed the baby. Women constables have been posted at the hospital to keep an eye on the concerned.
In the meanwhile, the police, in an effort to arrest the person who was responsible for this pregnancy, have gone to Sagar in Shimoga district to search for him. The officials said that the baby's mother and grandmother have been given a day to decide on raising the baby in their care. The tahisldar as well as police officers said the duo has been given time due to humanitarian considerations, and that steps as per law would be initiated against them if they refuse to take the baby with them.
The officials also said that steps would be taken to match the DNA of the person accused of fathering the child with that of the baby once he is taken into custody, to establish the relationship.