US couple permitted to adopt children abandoned at Indian railway station

One girl, two boys were found at Ghatkopar railway station by the Kurla Government Railway Police last year

The Bombay High Court allowed a US couple to adopt three siblings who were abandoned by their parents in January 2016 at a railway station in Mumbai.

Two boys and a girl – the children were found at Ghatkopar railway station by the Kurla Government Railway Police on January 19, 2016. Produced before the Child Welfare Committee on the same day, five-year-old Rahul, four-year-old Durga and two-year-old Suraj were moved to a shelter home run by a private organisation.



Despite efforts by Kurla GRP, the children’s family could not be traced. Consequently they were declared legally free for adoption under section 38(1) of India’ Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015 by the Child Welfare Committee.

Observing that “it would be in the interest of all the three children” to be adopted by Mark Stoll, 42 and his 43-year-old wife Annette residing in Campbellsburg, Indiana, Justice BP Colabawalla approved the adoption process.



The decision was made after taking into consideration that Stoll and his wife were eligible to adopt as per the rules and regulations prevailing in their hometown. The couple already has three biological children.

This article originally appeared on the Hindustan Times.