Haridwar cops search for stolen infant

HARIDWAR: A two-day-old infant girl was stolen from the Chain Roy Mahila Hospital here on Tuesday night. Lata, the 24-year-old mother from Jwalapur in Haridwar, had delivered the baby on Monday morning. Leaving the baby in the care of her two other little children, Lata went to consult a doctor as she felt sick. When she returned, she found her baby missing.Doctors and police were immediately informed. SSP Sadanand Date reached the hospital, and ordered that district borders be sealed. An intensive search has begun for the infant. Circle officer Chandra Mohan told TOI that no progress had been made in the search by Wednesday evening. The police officer said CCTV images from a camera installed by a tour operator outside the hospital showed a woman, who appeared to be about 30 years old, leaving the premises. Her face was covered, and the images also did not show clearly whether she was carrying the baby. Tuesday’s incident is the third such kidnapping in two months from Haridwar. A six-year-old boy from Meerut was stolen while sleeping with his parents at Haridwar railway station on June 2. Another young boy was stolen on July 3 while sleeping with his parents at Ganga ghat, near the central control tower. Both the children had been brought to Haridwar for mundan (head shaving ceremony for boys) Police have not been able to nab the culprits in the other two cases either.