Even as the authorities have placed a woman security officer under suspension for alleged callousness while on duty, a preliminary investigation on the abduction of an infant girl from the Government Medical College Hospital here on Saturday ruled out the allegations of a security lapse.
Hospital officials said the woman officer was suspended from duty pending further inquiry, based on a verification of the CCTV visuals gathered from the hospital. The official concerned had been posted on duty at the entrance of the hospital's maternity ward when the abduction took place.
As part of the investigation, joint director of medical education Thomas Mathew visited the hospital and assessed the security network. Talking to mediapersons later, the official sought to dismiss reports of a security lapse and noted that the abductor did not seem to have received any help from the hospital.
“The kidnap was well planned as the woman had no doubts, whatsoever, with regard to entering the hospital and it was all over in just three to four minutes. Further details are being investigated,” the official said.
Mr. Mathew will submit a report to Health Minister Veena George in a week. Besides the State government, the medical college authorities too have launched an in-house inquiry into the episode.
Meanwhile, the parents of the infant girl named her Ajaya, based on a suggestion by T.S. Reneesh, sub-inspector of police, Gandhinagar, who led the police team that rescued the baby. The kid and her mother were discharged from the hospital during the day.
The police would now approach the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court at Ettumanur, seeking custody of Neethu Raj, the accused, for further interrogation. Officials said the accused would be taken to the hotel where she had stayed and the medical store from where she had purchased a coat, as part of evidence collection.
