Kottayam: The woman, who abducted a newborn from the Kottayam Medical College Hospital on Thursday, committed the crime to win back her lover, Kottayam district police chief SP D Shilpa informed on Friday.
'The accused Neethu Raj (33) abducted the two-day-old infant to protect the relationship with her lover Ibrahim Badushah. Her intention was not monetary gain,' the police official said.
'After abducting the child, the accused forwarded the photograph of the child to her lover claiming that she delivered the child,' the SP added.
Hailing from Thiruvalla, Neethu worked at an event management company in Kalamassery of Ernakulam district. After meeting through social networking platform TikTok, Ibrahim and Neethu were involved in an affair for two years.
Though Neethu was impregnated in the relationship, she suffered a miscarriage later. But Ibrahim was left in the dark about the development.
Neethu's husband was kept in the loop about her pregnancy and miscarriage.
“Following her pregnancy, Ibrahim agreed to another marriage. Angered by his betrayal, the jilted lover decided to abduct a newborn and blackmail him claiming the child is his,” the police official said.
Neethu misguided Ibrahim and his relatives through video call. Though she initially informed him that the delivery would take place at a private hospital in Kalamassery, she later arrived at the Kottayam Medical College as she was more familiar with the town from her student days.
“Ibrahim was not involved in the crime,” the SP added. “Ibrahim has borrowed money from Neethu. This is however, not connected to the abduction case,” she said.
Neethu had arrived at the gynaecology department of the hospital on January 4 to study the premises and plan the abduction.
Ibrahim (28) from Vazhayil House in HMT colony, was also taken into custody by police.
Neethu will be brought to the Kottayam Medical College Hospital for evidence collection. She will be later produced at the Ettumanoor Court.
Major security lapse
Taking into account the major security lapse at the hospital, Kerala Health Minister Veena George has ordered a probe into the matter. Health Department Joint Director will be responsible for conducting the inquiry.
The abduction
The abducted girl child belonged to S Sreejith and Aswathi from 66 Mile, Valiyathara in Vandiperiyar.
The incident had come to light on Wednesday after a Mundakayam native who had delivered three days ago reached the nurses' station at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital enquiring about her baby that was taken away by 'a woman dressed as a nurse'.
The woman took the baby for phototherapy to treat newborn jaundice at around 2.45 pm when the father, Sreejith, went out to buy lunch. However, the mother grew suspicious when the baby was not returned even after an hour.
The police nabbed the baby thief from a hotel near the hospital.
