Bengaluru constable breastfeeds infant found abandoned

BENGALURU: A one-day-old baby girl, dumped by the roadside and bitten by ants, got a chance at life when a 25-year-old constable from

Yelahanka police

station took on the role of her mother on Wednesday.

Sangitha S Halimani

volunteered to breastfeed the

infant

who was found unwrapped and shivering in bone-chilling cold at GVVK campus near Yelahanka on Wednesday morning. Civil defence wardens saved her from freezing to death and took her to the nearby government hospital.



The infant was fed with formula milk and was on IV fluids before Sangitha came to the hospital. “The baby reminded me of my daughter. When I saw her, I felt like feeding her and asked doctors if I could nurse her. She seemed like a healthy child though she was bitten by ants,” Sangitha told TOI.

Sangitha, mother of a 10-monthold girl, nursed the baby for over 10-15 minutes. “I don’t understand how could the baby’s parents leave her, that too uncovered in this chilly weather,” she said.

Sangitha’s act of compassion received appreciation from doctors and others.

Dr Asma Tabassum, medical superintendent, Yelahanka general hospital, lauded Sangitha for her timely help. “The child, weighing 2.7kg, was suffering from hypothermia (drop in body temperature due to exposure to cold) and was highly susceptible to infection. The cop volunteered to feed the child as she was moved by her plight,” said Dr Asma.

The child was later taken to Vanivilas Hospital at 11.30am. “The baby was sent to Vanivilas as she was suffering due to lack of glucose, and was highly prone to septicaemia (bloodstream infection),” Asma added.

She is now undergoing treatment at the neonatal intensive care unit. “The baby is doing well though there is a threat of septicaemia. We guess she is 12 hours or just one-day old,” said Dr Ravindranath Meti, resident medical officer, Vanivilas Hospital. The child is yet to handed over to the women and child welfare department.

In June last year, DS Archana, a constable in Electronics City, won hearts after she breastfed an abandoned baby. Chief minister HD Kumaraswamy also lauded her act and she was later honoured by the city authorities.