Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur
Kundapur, Aug 8: Panchami, the baby who was abandoned in a forest by her young, unmarried mother soon after her birth, was discharged from Kundapur government hospital here on Friday August 8.
An official holding baby Panchami
Interestingly, Panchami was found in the jungle area of Imbu in Jansal area on Nagara Panchami, and after receiving treatment as well as care from her mother in hospital for week, she was released on another auspicious day - on the occasion of Varamahalaxmi Vrata.
On Friday, both the baby and the mother were produced in the court. The presiding judge directed that they be produced before the district child welfare committee.
Accordingly, the mother and child appeared before the committee at Manipal and the baby was handed over to the care of Namma Bhoomi centre, which comes under the Concerned for Working Children (CWC), an NGO that looks after the needs and welfare of children.
The mother has been directed to visit the centre every day for a month to feed the baby. Further course of action against the mother will be taken thereafter, sources said.
The baby, born out of an illicit relationship, was abandoned in a jungle by her mother and grandmother soon after her birth. Miraculously, she survived through heavy rain and hunger for 30 hours, till she was found by the locals and journalists. She was later named Panchami. The police on August 4 arrested Shashi (22) who allegedly fathered the child.