A couple from Yadgir claiming to be parents of the seven-month-old baby handed over to a young man in Raichur recently have arrived in Mysuru seeking its custody.
It may be mentioned here that a woman handed over the baby boy to Raghu, a resident of HD Kote in Mysuru district, at Raichur bus stand about a week ago, asking him to look after the baby till she returns from the toilet.
But, when the woman did not return even after 2-3 hours and it was time for Raghu to board the bus, he brough the baby with him to Mysuru and handed it over to Lashkar Police station. The police produced the baby before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of Mysuru district before it was handed over to a government-recognised adoption agency in Mandya.
While the woman arrived in Mysuru and gave a statement before the Lashkar police station, her husband appeared before the CWC in Mysuru on Monday and sought custody of the baby, claiming to be its parents.
The woman, a housewife, claimed that she had handed over the baby after a quarrel with her husband, who is a painter by profession.
The CWC in Mysuru has taken a decision to hand over the baby to Yadgir CWC so that an investigation can be conducted to confirm the claim of the couple. The baby cannot be handed over without a social investigation to confirm their claim and their background, said Mr. Dhananjaya, a CWC member.
The case as well as the baby will be legally transferred to CWC for further investigation and action. The Lashkar Police station has already registered an FIR against the woman for neglecting the baby. The CWC has to be convinced that they are genuine parents and they will take care of the baby in future, he said.
Meanwhile, the baby, which travelled with Raghu in an overnight bus journey from Raichur to Mysuru, is learnt to be “hale and hearty” at Vikasana, the adoption agency in Mandya.
