ABBOTTABAD: A 17-day-old newborn was allegedly abducted from the nursery of the Women and Children Hospital in Abbottabad on Tuesday morning, sparking outrage among family members and raising serious concerns about security arrangements at the facility.
Police officials said the infant, son of Siraj, a resident of Allai currently living in Jhangi, had been admitted to the hospital after suffering from diarrhea and was under care in the nursery. The child’s mother reportedly left the ward briefly to get breakfast. When she returned 10 to 20 minutes later, she found that the baby was missing from the bed.
Hospital staff and family members launched an immediate search, while CCTV footage reviewed by the administration allegedly showed a woman wrapped in a white shawl and wearing a face mask carrying the infant out of the hospital premises.
The infant’s relatives staged a protest demonstration outside the hospital and chanted slogans against the hospital administration, accusing it of negligence. The protesters questioned how the child’s mother was not allowed to remain inside the nursery while an unidentified woman was allegedly able to enter the ward and leave with the newborn.
Family members further alleged that elements within the hospital administration may have been involved in the incident, though no evidence has yet been presented to support the claim. They demanded that police and the district administration ensure the immediate recovery of the child and bring those responsible to justice.
Medical Superintendent Dr Amir Israr confirmed the incident and stated that the hospital administration had launched an inquiry immediately after receiving information about the disappearance of the infant. He said police were promptly informed and called in to investigate the matter and trace those involved.
“The hospital administration is fully cooperating with law enforcement agencies, and all available CCTV footage and relevant records have been provided to assist the investigation,” Dr Israr told media representatives.
Police have questioned nurses, ward attendants, and other staff members who were on duty at the time of the incident. “Efforts are underway to identify the suspect seen in the CCTV footage and safely recover the missing infant,” said an official.
It is pertinent to mention that the newborn, allegedly abducted earlier in the day from the hospital’s nursery by an unidentified woman, had not been recovered by the time this report was filed. The incident has triggered widespread concern among the public and renewed calls for stricter security measures in healthcare facilities.
