Acting on the instructions given by the state government, the Mumbai police has deputed a special squad to investigate cases of babies being stolen from government hospitals from 2009 till date.
A reward of `50,000 has also been declared for this team in the event of positive results.
According to official sources, the instructions were issued following a meeting between state government officials and senior police officers held at the Mantralaya on Tuesday.
Home minister R.R. Patil chaired the meeting, which was attended by Mumbai mayor Sunil Prabhu, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner Sitaram Kunte, police commissioner Satyapal Singh and other senior police officers. “We have designated the Unit IV of the crime branch to look into cases from 2009 till date. The latest case in Wadia hospital will be the lead of the investigation as it is the most current, but the team will also look into all the other cases,” said Himanshu Roy, joint commissioner of police, crime branch.
“Mr Patil also expressed willingness to provide additional security guards as per the number of beds in the maternity ward of each hospital, as well as to get closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed at entrances of the hospitals during the meeting,” said an official source.
Cases of newborn babies being stolen have occurred at Sion Hospital, VN Desai Hospital, Shivaji Nagar Municipal Hospital, Cama Hospital and Wadia Hospital from 2009 till date. None of these cases have been solved so far.
They have thrown light light on the next to negligible security arrangements at government-run hospital and general attitude to the problem.
On Wednesday, a two-day-old boy was stolen from the maternity ward of Wadia Hospital by an unidentified woman who was seen prowling around the ward shortly before.