A baby, thought to be barely three weeks old, was found in the Indian state of Rajasthan earlier this week – police have since launched an investigation to find the child’s mum
A newborn baby has been found abandoned with a stone in his mouth and lips glued shut to prevent him from crying.
The defenceless tot was discovered a pile of rocks in the Bhilwara district of Rajasthan, India on Tuesday, seemingly left to die. Footage shows the infant lying amongst stones and rubbish as a cattle herder manages to open his mouth, with the child immediately starting to cry once the stone is removed.
The herder, along with other villagers, rushed the boy to the Bijolia Government Hospital for immediate medical attention. Doctors estimated the baby to be between 15 and 20 days old, finding adhesive not only around his mouth but also on his thighs.
Police believe that the use of glue and the stone was intended to stop the baby from making any noise that might attract attention. Detectives are now scouring delivery records from nearby hospitals to identify women who have recently given birth, reports the Express.
Local residents are also being interviewed as officers strive to locate the child’s parents. Rajasthan police have stated that their investigation is ongoing and the child remains under medical care.
This case has shed light on broader issues in India, where similar incidents of abandonment have been. Earlier this month, a five-month-old girl was discovered in bushes in Chandigarh after being left alone.
She was spotted by a 30-year-old taxi driver who had stopped off nearby in the early hours of September 4. After hearing the baby cry, and realising that no was else was around, he took her to the police station.
In another distressing incident on the same day, in Jharkhand a baby was rescued from a drain with fractured hands. The infant had been dumped there before being noticed by locals – thankfully the child was later said to be in a stable condition.
While in June, a baby that was just two days old was found abandoned in a basket after being left outside a girls’ orphanage in the state of Maharashtra.
Accompanying the child was a bottle, a sachet of milk powder and a handwritten note, according to local media.
This was seemingly from the parents and said that they were unable to raise their baby because of “mental and financial hardships”. Local resident, Renu, said: “At first, we thought it was a kitten or puppy crying.
“But when we looked closer, we were stunned. It was a newborn baby shivering, wrapped in a blanket, clearly hungry. I fed her warm milk and rushed her to a nearby hospital.”
Abhijit Bavar, a worker in the area added: “When I realised it was an abandoned baby, I immediately called the police. Renu and I took her to Siddhi Clinic in an autorickshaw. The doctors said she was stable, but needed further care.”