Malda: In two unrelated child abduction incidents reported from Gazole and Kaliachak in Malda district, police detained two women on Saturday, triggering widespread panic and public outrage.
The first incident occurred early Saturday morning at the Gazole State General Hospital. A newborn baby was allegedly lifted from the hospital’s maternity ward. The mother, Hasi Saha, a resident of Buzruk Bandhail, had recently delivered a baby boy and was preparing to be discharged. She reportedly left her baby with a woman posing as a visitor while she went to make photocopies of documents. Upon returning, she found both the baby and the woman missing.
A massive search ensued and thanks to the prompt action of locals, the accused woman was found with the infant about 1.5 kilometres away in the Beldangi area. The suspect, identified as Priya Pal from Palpara near Goruhat, was handed over to the police after tension flared at the hospital premises. Angry locals demanded strict action as police had to deploy additional forces to manage the crowd.
According to hospital sources, the accused had been loitering in the maternity ward for several days, interacting with new mothers and gaining their trust. Hospital Superintendent Dr Anjan Roy said: “The baby was safely recovered due to local vigilance and police efficiency. There is an urgent need for more CCTV coverage inside the hospital.”
Meanwhile, in a separate incident in Kaliachak’s Srirampur village, another woman was caught attempting to abduct a four-year-old boy named Faraz Sheikh. The woman tried to drag the child away from his home but the boy’s cries alerted nearby residents, who intervened and detained her. Police arrived shortly and took the suspect into custody.
Kaliachak Police are investigating the case, and preliminary interrogation is underway to determine the motive. “We have arrested the woman on suspicion of child trafficking. Her identity and motives will be verified during interrogation,” said IC Suman Ray Choudhury. Both cases have sparked serious concerns over child safety and hospital security in the district.