Man arrested for abduction attempt
PHOTO: AFP
A man who allegedly tried to abduct a newborn girl from Civil Hospital was caught by the security personnel and handed over to the police.
The man’s three accomplices, all women, managed to escape from the crime scene. Police registered a case and started searching for the accused women.
In the case filed in Civil Lines police station by Tahira Bibi, wife of Bashir Ahmed and a resident of Chak No 224RB, Barkatpura, sadi that her daughter was admitted to the maternity ward of Civil Hospital. Tahira’s daughter had delivered a baby girl four days ago.
As per details available with The Express Tribune, the accused Shahid Ali, Saba Bibi, Abida Bibi and Nazia allegedly abducted her four-day-old girl.
However, the accused left the girl at the gate of the hospital and fled after Tahira made noise, attracting the attention of nearby persons.
Meanwhile, the security staff of the hospital chased and apprehended the accused Shahid on the spot while Saba, Abida and Nazia managed to escape by taking advantage of the crowd.
Police registered a case under Section 363/511TPP against the arrested as well as absconding accused. According to Civil Lines SHO Inspector Masood Nazir, Shahid had abducted and allegedly raped Tahira’s daughter, impregnating her.
She was admitted to Civil Hospital’s maternity ward.
The accused Shahid tried to abduct the four-day-old girl from there.
Earlier, a case had been registered against Shahid in Batala Colony police station.
This is not the only incident of a minor being abducted in the province.
On May 19 last year, police recovered a newborn kidnapped from Lady Willington Hospital in Lahore. Officials also arrested a couple in relation to the crime and reunited the infant with their parents.
In his statement to the police, the infant’s father, a labourer, said that he and his wife had come to the hospital from Muridke a few days ago.
During this time, a woman claiming to be a maid at the hospital used to carry the child with her on strolls around the hospital. On the day of the incident, she used the same excuse and managed to disappear with the child.
Police seized CCTV footage from surgical ward all the way to the path leading outside the hospital. With help from the hospital, police managed to track down the woman’s mobile phone number. In addition, the CCTV footage also showed that the woman met up with a man and the two fled on a motorcycle.
(The victims’ identities have not been disclosed as a matter of policy)
Published in The Express Tribune, November 5th, 2020.