Kendrapara: The Kendrapara town police Saturday arrested four people, including an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) and owner of the nursing home on charges of sale of a newborn at a private nursing home in coastal Kendrapara district, said Kendrapara SP Dayanidhi Gochhait.
The arrested persons have been identified as Annapurna Moharana, ASHA in Righagada; Iftekar Alam, owner of Surya Nursing Home at Medical Road; Sk Munna, sweeper at Surya Nursing Home and Sk Sahabuddin, who bought the baby.
They accused, who were charged under Section 370 of IPC; 81 Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, were produced before the court and were remanded in jail custody. Iftekar was booked under Section 41 of Clinical Establishment Act, 2017, Gochhait said.
As per the case, Gitanjali, wife of Nirakar Moharana of Righagada, delivered a girl child at Surya Nursing Home Wednesday night. Gitanjali said Annapurna admitted her at a private hospital. The couple who aimed to have a boy was heart-broken after the birth of a girl.
“When we were discussing about how to pay the hospital bill of Rs 7,500, a sweeper and Annapurna told us to sell our newborn. As we also didn’t want another girl child, we agreed to their proposal,” Gitanjali claimed.
Later, after being communicated by the sweeper, two people came to the hospital and paid Rs 7,500. They also provided Rs 1,000 for medicine and Rs 500 for fruits and took my baby, Gitanjali added.
Nirakar lodged a complaint, alleging that ASHA and the sweeper forced them to sell their baby.
Accordingly, police registered a case and started an inquiry.
The newborn, who is admitted at a Cuttack-based Sishu Bhawan, has been in a critical condition. The CWC chairperson Saturday visited the Sishu Bhawan along with a caretaker to look after the baby. The district administration will take all necessary steps to provide free medical treatment to her, said Bijay Ketan Sahu, District Child Protection Officer.
As per the police inquiry, the registration of Surya Nursing Home has been expired for the last six months. When contacted district collector Reghu G said he would look into the allegation and would take necessary steps. PNN
