Mother Detained Days After Baby Found Abandoned In Forest With Lips Glued

Days after a newborn was found abandoned in a forest in Rajasthan's Bhilwara, with his lips sealed with glue and a stone inside, the police have detained the baby's mother and maternal grandfather. The baby was just 19 days old when he was found two days ago. The stone was allegedly stuffed in his mouth to ensure he couldn't cry and alert others.

The police said the baby was born out of an illicit relationship. Fearing social taboo, the woman and her father had rented a room in Bundi using fake identities and got the delivery done there. They also tried to sell the baby, but when the plan didn't work out, they abandoned the baby after a few weeks.

"We have detained a woman based on intelligence inputs. She is being interrogated. Preliminary inputs suggest she had an affair with a man. The child was born out of their relationship. She then abandoned the baby," said Dharmendra Singh Yadav, Superintendent of Police, Bhilwara.

A DNA test will also be conducted to confirm the child's relationship with the woman.

The baby was spotted by a shepherd who was alerted by his faint cries while grazing his goats in Mandalgarh. He immediately informed the police and the villagers. The police rescued the baby and admitted him to the neonatal intensive care unit in Mahatma Gandhi Hospital.

The child is now under the care of doctors, and his health is gradually improving. However, a doctor at Bhilwara Medical College stated that the newborn remains critical.

"The baby has been kept on oxygen support since he has been having difficulty breathing. He also suffered burns since he came in touch with hot stones," Dr Indra Singh, in-charge of the Mother and Child Center at Bhilwara Medical College, told NDTV.