A newborn infant was discovered abandoned in the Bhilwara district of Rajasthan, India, with a stone placed in his mouth and his lips sealed with adhesive to prevent him from crying. The defenseless baby, estimated to be between 15 and 20 days old, was found lying among rocks and debris by a cattle herder. Upon removing the stone, the child began to cry immediately.
The herder and local villagers swiftly took the baby to the Bijolia Government Hospital for urgent medical care. Doctors noted that besides the adhesive around the baby’s mouth, his thighs were also affected. Authorities suspect that the use of glue and the stone was a cruel attempt to silence the baby and avoid detection.
Law enforcement officials are investigating the incident and are reviewing delivery records from nearby hospitals to identify potential mothers who recently gave birth. Meanwhile, local residents are being interviewed to help locate the infant’s parents. The baby remains in medical care under the supervision of Rajasthan police.
This upsetting case highlights broader societal issues in India, where instances of infant abandonment have been reported. In a recent incident, a five-month-old girl was found abandoned in bushes in Chandigarh and was rescued by a taxi driver who heard her cries and took her to the police station. Similarly, in Jharkhand, a baby with fractured hands was rescued from a drain after being abandoned but was fortunately found in stable condition.
In another incident in Maharashtra, a two-day-old baby was discovered abandoned in a basket outside a girls’ orphanage along with a bottle, milk powder sachet, and a note citing the parents’ mental and financial distress as reasons for abandonment. Local residents ensured the baby received immediate care and alerted the authorities, emphasizing the need for better support for struggling families.
The community’s swift response in each of these cases underscores the importance of vigilance and compassion towards vulnerable infants in distressing situations.