9 hours ago
Newborn found abandoned in bag on train near Moradabad
MEERUT A newborn baby was found abandoned inside a travel bag hanging between two seats in an AC second-class coach of the Patna-Chandigarh Summer Special Train (04503) shortly before it arrived at Moradabad railway station in the early hours of Sunday. The bag, hanging between two seats, caught the attention of passengers who noticed it moving and alerted railway officials. CCTV footage from all 10 stations before Moradabad is being examined to identify the person who abandoned the child. (Sourced)
The incident came to light when passengers noticed suspicious movement in a black bag and alerted railway officials through the helpline number 139. On opening the bag, they found a baby boy wrapped inside, with the umbilical cord still attached, indicating the child was just born before being placed on the train, officials said.
The train had departed from Patna at 5:52 am on Saturday, and passed through Ara, Buxar, Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction, Varanasi, Sultanpur, Lucknow, Hardoi, Shahjahanpur, and Bareilly, reaching Moradabad at 1:03 am on Sunday.
Personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Childline met the train at Moradabad station after receiving alerts from passengers. The newborn was taken to the district hospital and admitted to the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) for treatment.
Dr Iram Rashid, a paediatrician at the facility, said the baby weighed 2.5 kg and appeared to be full-term. 'The umbilical cord was still attached, suggesting the child was placed in the bag moments after birth. The baby is stable and breathing well, which means he was likely put on the train at a station closer to Moradabad, possibly near Lucknow. Had he been in the bag since Patna, survival would have been unlikely.'
Chief medical superintendent of the District Women's Hospital, Dr Nirmala Pathak, added, 'The baby had difficulty breathing initially, likely due to confinement in the bag. After receiving immediate medical care, he began responding. He has been fed milk, and his vitals are stable.'
Childline supervisor Vineet Chaudhary confirmed that the baby will be kept under medical observation for a month and then handed over to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
Government Railway Police (GRP) inspector Mustaquim Ali said that no FIR has been filed yet, but a joint probe by the RPF and GRP is underway. CCTV footage from all 10 stations before Moradabad is being examined to identify the person who abandoned the child.
