The one and a half month old baby who was born in adverse circumstances at a park in Kamalanagar, on Monday lost his battle to remain alive, succumbing to a series of ailments including gastroenteritis, diarrhoea and dehydration.
The baby was born to Pushpawati who died soon after the delivery at the park. He died early Monday morning at around 6.30 am at Vani Vilas Hospital leaving several questions unanswered including why he was handed over to his father who had hardly cared for his wife and the baby boy when he was born. Questions have also been raised on why the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) which had expressed serious concern over the safety of the baby, had handed him over to his father, Mohan Kumar, a carpenter, on May 28. The hospital had declined to hand over the baby to Kumar earlier and had handed him over to CWC.
When asked why they handed over the baby to Kumar, Anupama Hegde, advocate member of CWC told Deccan Chronicle: “Our officers made enquiries at Kumar’s house and found that he was employed and the other children were with him. Assuming that Kumar could take care of the baby we handed him on May 28.” After he fell seriously ill, the baby was rushed to Vani Vilas Hospital around 9.45 am on Saturday and was admitted to the pediatric Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where he was on a ventilator. He was suffering from severe dehydration, diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, septic shock and a bacterial infection said Dr Somegowda, Medical Superintendent, Vani Vilas Hospital. "The baby underwent a blood test, culture and sensitivity test. Despite all our efforts, he died early Monday morning."
Expressing his concern Dr Somegowda said: “All these 21 days the baby was at Sishu Mandir run by CWC but he not brought to the baby well clinic at our hospital for a test. When we asked his father and aunt who was taking care of hin, they said they had been feeding him diluted Nandini milk. We do not know what went wrong as yet”. On May 9 when the baby was handed over to CWC members in the presence of police from Basveshwaranagar police station by Vani Vilas Hospital authorities, his condition was normal. Meanwhile, S. Raju, Mohan’s younger brother told DC: “Mohan and Pushpawati had a love marriage and were happy. We do not know what happened and why they separated. But Mohan wanted his son back at any cost and sought the help of CWC.”