Five infants found in open drain

Though there were incidents of bodies of still-born babies and infants appearing in dustbins and open drains in the past, this is first time that five bodies were found at a single place.

“This is unusual,” says North Zone DCP C R Naidu, who feels that it is “basically a social problem”. Stating that it is not easy to identify the source, he felt it could be the handiwork of private nursing homes or quacks.

Alarmed over the incident, police started gathering information about the credentials of private nursing homes and quacks situated in thevicinity of the drain, which flows from Regimental Bazar towards Ashoknagar. Quacks in the city were known to resort to such “unethical and inhuman” practices.

“This has become a common phenomenon,” says Rahim, a slum-dweller. Bodies would be seen floating in the drain which comes from Kalasiguda and Regimental Bazar. A couple of months ago, two infants were found in the drain. Police booked a case and the matter ended there, he alleged.

Gandhinagar Station House Officer L K Shinde, under whose jurisdiction the bodies were found, told The Indian Express that residents of the slums were asked to alert the police if they came across anyone dumping bodies in public places. “We booked a case suo motu under Section 318 of IPC (concealment of birth by secret disposal of dead body),” he said.

The offence, a non-bailable cognizable one, would invite imprisonment for two years, or fine or both. “Whoever they are, they are more inhuman than notorious criminals,” Shinde felt.

According tohim, the bodies would be usually dumped late in the night or in the early hours. “A constant surveillance is required to nab such elements, which we have already started,” Shinde added.

In cases of still-born babies, parents would prefer handing over the job of disposing the body to the hospital staff. One would never know whether they would bury the body in an isolated place or dump it in a public place, observed Afzalgunj Inspector G Jayaprasada Rao.

The problem was rampant in almost all parts of the city, particularly in the areas where maternity homes, either private or Government, are concentrated. There were instances of stray dogs pulling out bodies from the dustbins and devouring them openly.

“It is the responsibility of hospital authorities to ensure that bodies of infants are disposed in a respectful manner,” feels West Zone DCP D Gautam Sawang, in whose area also the problem exists.

According to him, there were no specific complaints against any hospital and it was a difficult task tokeep a surveillance over all hospitals and quacks in the city.