Jajpur: The ongoing investigation into the sexual exploitation of a 16-year-old minor in Odisha's Jajpur district took a dramatic turn today after a newborn baby girl was rescued near the victim’s rented accommodation. The discovery has raised serious questions about the initial police theory regarding a forced abortion.

Local residents alerted the authorities after spotting the infant abandoned just a short distance from the minor's home. With police assistance, the baby was rushed to the Jajpur Road Area Hospital. Medical specialists at the facility have confirmed that the infant is approximately one week old and is currently in stable health.

Two days back, reports of a minor girl undergoing a forced abortion at a local nursing home had surfaced after which police had arrested two individuals including an elderly man and the Managing Director of the hospital.

The man Padmanabha Satapathy (70) was accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting the minor while she worked at his house while the nursing home MD Manoj Kumar Nayak allegedly had conspired to cover up the pregnancy and delivery. Both had been produced before the court on Monday evening following a complaint lodged by the victim’s father.

Authorities are currently examining whether the rescued newborn is connected to the ongoing case, as part of their broader investigation into the incident.

Infant Stable, Say Doctors

Meanwhile, doctors at Jajpur Road Medical said the newborn, believed to have been born within the past week. "The baby appears to be premature, likely born between 34 and 36 weeks and was in a critical state due to severe hypothermia when brought to the hospital," they said. Official sources informed that the rescued infant will be handed over to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for long-term care and protection. Investigators are reviewing the private hospital’s records to detect any inconsistencies in the minor’s medical treatment history.

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