Child theft case in Odisha: Father, maternal grandmother held

Sonepur: The Subarnapur police arrested two persons including a woman for allegedly kidnapping a newborn girl and attempting to sell her. The two accused were father and maternal grandmother of the girl child.

Police sources said the girl child’s father, Gajendra Tandi and maternal grandmother, Pantha Jani were arrested today evening after being detained for two days for questioning.

Gajendra and Pantha have confessed about their plans to sell the girl child. Also, the two told the police they concocted the child theft story to divert the attention, the sources added.

Suspicion grew over involvement of Gajendra and Pantha in the girl child kidnapping after the police examined the footage of CCTVs installed at the Subarnapur District Hospital and shops nearby.

On November 19, a woman, Santoshini gave birth to a girl child at the Subarnapur District Hospital. The next day, her girl child was found missing when Santoshini went to the toilet.

Santoshini’s mother, Pantha, who was at the hospital, claimed an unknown woman came to her and took the child in her arms. Later the unidentified woman carrying the child left the hospital hurriedly, alleged Pantha.

Also, the child’s father lodged a police complaint alleging child theft at the hospital. Following this, the police launched an investigation. The girl child was rescued on the roadside on November 21.