Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (UM)
Karkala, Feb 2: A one-and-a-half-month-old baby girl was on Monday February 2 taken away from a couple who had reportedly wanted to adopt her but failed to follow procedures.
Gopinath Bhat, a priest at Ganapathy Temple in Karkala and his wife Revathi, who stay in a house behind the temple, had been looking after the baby girl.
It is learnt that the baby was procured from Hubballi through an acquantaince of Revathi's sister who stays there.
The couple however, did not go through legal adoption procedures, and this came to the notice of the child labour department of Udupi.
Prabhakar Acharya, director of Udupi district child labour programme, along with Sitaratna of Karkala women and child welfare department, police officials and others raided the couple's house and took custody of the baby.
When questioned about the baby, the couple failed to give convincing answers and hence, Gopinath and Revathi along with the baby were taken to Krishna Anugraha child adoption centre at Santhekatte. The baby was handed over to the adoption centre.
Gopinath and Revathi were sent back home, and it is learnt that they would be interrogated further on Tuesday February 3.